Man lost at sea for 24 days; all he had to eat was a bottle of ketchup and bouillon cubes

A man from the island of Dominica, located in the Caribbean, survived on the high seas on a sailboat for 24 days. The only food he had was bouillon cubes and ketchup. Writes about it Independent.

Photo: IStock

“I didn’t have any food. The only thing on the boat was a bottle of ketchup, garlic powder, and bouillon cubes. So I mixed them with some water to survive 24 days at sea,” said Elvis Francois.

He collected rainwater in a cloth to avoid dehydration.

François carved the word "help" into the boat in the hope that a passing plane would see him and call for help.

It was eventually found 120 nautical miles (222 km) northwest of Puerto Bolívar.

François said that during his time at sea he saw other ships, but was unable to attract their attention. He even lit a fire on the boat to get the other ship's attention.

On the subject: Sun allergy: how an American woman survives a rare disease

Towards the end of his drift, François managed to attract the attention of a passing plane with a mirror.

“About January 15, I saw a plane. I had a mirror, which I started giving some signals,” he said.

François tilted the mirror to catch the sun's rays and reflect them towards the plane.

“They passed the boat twice, so I knew they had seen me,” he said. “I am grateful to them that I am alive today.”

The crew of the plane informed the navy, who then went to rescue François with the help of a merchant ship.

He spoke about his solitary stay at sea.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

“Twenty-four days, no land. I do not have anyone to talk to. I do not know what to do. “I don’t know where I am,” he admitted. “It was hard, at some point I even lost hope.” I thought about my family."

François was repairing a sailboat near the harbor on the island of Saint Martin in December when the weather turned bad and it was swept out to sea. Having no knowledge of navigation, he became lost and disoriented at sea. His efforts to maneuver the ship and the equipment on board were fruitless.

He stated that he did not "know how he is alive today, but he is alive."

"And I'm grateful for that," he remarked.

Read also on ForumDaily:

How to get a green card if you are not in the USA: who is eligible and how to apply

What day is better to go to the store to save a lot of money

Egg prices are rising at an unprecedented pace: in which stores you can still find them cheaper

Massage, meditation and entertainment: 6 great spa resorts in the USA

Four tax credits to save up to $8000

Walmart hosts secret sales with discounts up to 75%: where to look for discounted products

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.