On Thursday morning, fishermen from the Dutch town of Urk rescued a man who was sitting on a buoy in the Channel — he had likely been there for days.
The man went to sea to go kayaking from England on October 15, when his kayak capsized. From then on, he climbed onto a buoy and fought like hell to survive. 🛟
“He said he scraped mussels from the buoy and also ate seaweed and crabs to stay alive”, skipper of fishing cutter Madeleine, Teunis de Boer, told RD.
A young man’s survival story
The fishing boat sailed into the Channel between France and England at around 11 AM, when the crew suddenly saw a young man in swimming trunks, writes NU.nl.
“I was filling in my electronic logbook and looking for the buoy that marks the bank. I thought: you’re not serious”, Teunis told RD.
READ MORE | How the fate of 17 Dutch sailors changed history
In an effort to let the man know the fishermen saw him, the skipper honked the boat’s horn. “I was afraid he would float away if he jumped into the water. So I turned the cutter so that it would float towards us.”
The young man, who had been holding on to the tiny buoy for days on end, subsisting on mussels, seaweed, and crabs, was completely exhausted by the time they pulled him from the water.
A successful rescue
The fishing crew warmed him up and gave him some food and water. They immediately called the French coast guard, after which the man was taken to a hospital by helicopter.
READ MORE | Swimming hazards at beaches, lakes, and canals in the Netherlands
In parting words, the young man expressed his gratitude to the fishermen for rescuing him.
What do you think about this survival story? Tell us in the comments below! 👇
