A man has been rescued after enduring over two months adrift in a small inflatable boat in the frigid waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, located in Russia’s far east. The individual, identified as a 46-year-old named Mikhail Pichugin, was located by a fishing crew approximately 1,000 kilometers (around 620 miles) from his departure point in early August. Tragically, the remains of his brother and 15-year-old nephew were discovered aboard the vessel.
Mr. Pichugin’s wife reported that the family had ventured out to observe whales, equipped with provisions intended to last two weeks. She speculated that her husband’s initial weight of 100 kg (approximately 15 st 10 lb) might have contributed to his survival, although he was reportedly reduced to half that weight following 67 days adrift.
“It’s a miracle that he’s alive,” she expressed when speaking to local news agencies. She also revealed that their daughter was meant to accompany them on the trip but chose not to go at the last moment.
Despite extensive search efforts by helicopter, the authorities were unable to find any signs of the family until the boat was spotted Monday as it drifted past fishermen off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Video footage shows Mr. Pichugin, wearing a life jacket, crying out for help, stating, “I have no strength left,” as he was rescued.
While the bodies of his brother, Sergei, aged 49, and nephew, Ilya, were still in the boat, a representative from the Russian seafarers’ union speculated that Mr. Pichugin may have survived on fish caught during his ordeal.
Currently, Mr. Pichugin is recovering in the hospital and is reported to be in a “more or less stable” condition by medical personnel. Authorities have announced a criminal investigation into the incident, with inspections being carried out on the recovered boat to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
Historically, there have been cases of castaways surviving for extended periods at sea. Experts recall that in 1960, four Soviet soldiers survived 49 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued by a US aircraft carrier.
