Sailor survived 11 weeks lost at sea October 6 2002
The Sun-Herald
This is the moment an American sailor, emaciated and delusional after being lost at sea for as long as 11 weeks, finally came face to face with rescuers aboard his disabled sailboat.
Dehydrated and confused sailor Terry Watson peers out of the cockpit of his boat as the US Coast Guard come to his rescue after he was lost at sea for nearly three months. Picture: AFP
The man, Terry Watson, 43, of Homosassa Springs, Florida, was yesterday listed in stable condition at Georgetown Memorial Hospital in South Carolina where he was being treated for dehydration and exposure.
US Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Carr said Mr Watson was emaciated and "in pretty bad shape" when brought ashore.
"The guy could barely stand," he said. "I don't know when was the last time he actually ate anything."
Mr Watson left Miami in his 22' (7m) sailboat Psedorca on July 19. Another sailor reported him missing four days later when they became separated while sailing in the Florida Keys.
The Coast Guard launched a search but gave up after covering more than 20,800sqkm in two days and finding no sign of the Psedorca.
A fishing boat captain spotted the vessel, broken-masted and adrift about 65km off the South Carolina coast yesterday and alerted the Coast Guard.
It sent a helicopter to rescue him but Mr Watson, suffering from delusion and shock, refused to leave his boat, the agency said. Rescuers eventually persuaded him to come aboard a Coast Guard patrol boat and brought him ashore.
"He's improving physically," Mr Carr said. "I think eventually he will be OK."
Mr Watson was unable to tell rescuers when the vessel's mast broke or whether he had been at sea since July, Mr Carr said. "It's quite possible he was adrift the entire time. It's also possible he did pull in somewhere and then headed back out."
Mr Watson's boat was towed ashore. The Coast Guard planned to interview him at the hospital to learn more about his odyssey.
His rescue came three weeks after the US Navy found a Californian sailor, Richard Van Pham, adrift off Costa Rica after being lost at sea for four months. He survived by collecting rainwater and eating turtles and fish that swam near his boat.
Poster Comment:
This is an old story I stumbled across Look at the guys eyes, he's whacked.