Peruvian fisherman tells story after being rescued after 95 days lost at sea – eating turtles, birds and cockroaches

A Peruvian fisherman who survived 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean eating turtles, birds and cockroaches has been rescued and reunited with his family.

Maximo Napa Castro, 61, set off on a two-week fishing trip from the coastal town of Marcona, on Peru's southern coast, on December 7, foreign media wrote, according to the Telegraph.

Ten days later, a storm "distracted" his boat from course, leaving him stranded with dwindling supplies.

His family launched a search, but Peruvian naval patrols were unable to find him.

Tras pasar 95 días perdido en altamar, the Peruvian fisherman Máximo Napa Castro se reencontró con su familia en un movingador en el Aeropuerto Jorge Chávez. #diarioelmen pic.twitter.com/lWZglTUa4c

— El Men Newspaper (@elmen_pe) March 15, 2025

And just on Wednesday, an Ecuadorian patrol boat found him 1,094 km (680 miles) from the coast, dehydrated and in critical condition.

Maximo survived by drinking rainwater in his boat and eating whatever he could find.

At an emotional reunion with his brother in Paita, near the border with Ecuador, on Friday, he described how he had eaten cockroaches and birds before turning to sea turtles. He had gone the last 15 days without food.

A Peruvian fisherman, Máximo Napa Castro, has been rescued after 95 days lost at sea. He set sail on December 7 but lost his way due to bad weather. An Ecuadorian fishing boat found him on March 11, severely dehydrated and in critical condition.

Napa Castro survived by eating… pic.twitter.com/vZJnAaBoet

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) March 16, 2025

Thoughts of his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, gave him the strength to endure, Mr. Castro said.

"I thought about my mother every day. I'm grateful to God for giving me a second chance."

His mother, Elena, told local media that, while her relatives remained optimistic during her son's disappearance, she had begun to lose hope.

After his rescue, Castro was taken to Paita for medical evaluation before flying to the Peruvian capital, Lima.

There, at Jorge Chavez International Airport, he was welcomed by his daughter, Inés Napa, in an emotional reunion surrounded by a media frenzy.

She welcomed him home with a bottle of pisco, Peru's national drink.

In his neighborhood in San Andrés in the Ica region, neighbors and relatives told Peruvian media agency RPP that they decorated the streets to celebrate.

His granddaughter, Leyla Torres Napa, stressed that the family planned to celebrate his birthday, which passed while he was lost at sea. /Telegraph/