Pinoy fisherman adrift at sea for 45 days home soon from Palau

What might have been just another day at work for a fisherman in Mindanao in the Philippines turned into an adventure fit for the movies. Nearly two months ago, on May 3, fisherman Mario Lisandro set out to sea with his fellow fishermen in Bislig, Surigao Del Sur in Mindanao. On his way home, Lisandro found himself off-route. He had been adrift at sea for 45 days by the time he was found on June 18 by a Taiwanese fishing vessel in Palau, some 800 miles northwest of the Philippines. Lisandro was brought to the Philippine Embassy in Palau, where his documents are being processed. He is expected to return home next week. Lisandro recounts that he ran out of gasoline and was unable to make it back to shore. “Pauwi ako sa sinasakyan naming malaking boat kaya lang iba na yung napuntahan ko kaya naubusan ako ng gasolina, hindi na ako nakarating doon," said Lisandro on Saksi on Thursday night. “Kaya ayun, palutang-lutang na lang ako," he said. Lisandro’s matter-of-fact manner tells nothing of what he endured. Despite being a fisherman, being out at sea fishing is quite different from being adrift and unprepared, with no ready food, water, nor means of communication.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV As Lisandro was adrift for a long time, he had to depend on rainwater for his drinking water and lived on fish. For almost two months, he tried to cope with the searing sun during the daytime and bone-chilling wind at night. His methods were similar to those of four Palawan fishermen who were rescued after more than a month at sea in 2009. Fortunately, Lisandro did not get sick or dehydrated. In a similar incident in January this year, a 15-year-old boy survived being at sea for three days in Eastern Visayas. Mark Sanico endured cold weather and went without food or water until he drifted back to shore. - VVP, GMA News