An Indonesian young man miraculously survived 49 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean in a state of food shortages.
The thrilling story of 19-year-old Aldi Novel Adilang, an Indonesian, who sailed for 49 days in the Pacific Ocean, was published on NBC News. Accordingly, after traveling more than 2,500 km, Adilang survived by eating fish and saying prayers every day.
Aldilang day was about to be brought home. Photo: Indonesian Consulate General Osaka/Facebook.
Before that, Aldilang worked as a watchman for a fish hut in Manado Bay, about 125 kilometers from the mainland. Aldilang’s work is known locally as “rompong”.
The incident happened around the beginning of July, when Aldilang was working on the island of Sulawesi, east of Indonesia, when Aldilang’s hut was swept away by a storm and drifted into the ocean.
At that time, the small hut didn’t even have oars or engines. The amount of food and food on the hut was only enough for the young man to survive for a few days. The only thing on the hut is a gas stove, some clean water and materials to run a generator to attract fish, enough for about a week.
Too scared and did not know what to do, Aldilang had to accept the truth, face the situation of floating on the drifting hut and use survival skills to survive.
Aldilang floated on the small hut. Photo: Indonesian Consulate General Osaka/Facebook
Adilang’s day mainly consists of catching fish by hand in the morning and reading the Bible in the afternoon. Aldilang manages to live at sea by fishing for himself, using small pieces of wood from his hut to cook, and using clothes that filter seawater to reduce salt consumption.
Aldilang’s morale dropped significantly, he said he often cried when he saw one after another train passing by his hut, despite his helpless screams. Many times he thought he would die in the ocean, but then the survival instinct helped Aldilang overcome adversity.
“Every time he saw the big ships, Aldilang hoped to be rescued, but 10 ships passed by and none of them stopped or they could not see Aldilang” – Fajar Firdaus, a diplomat Indonesia from the consulate of Osaka, Japan gave an interview to The Jakarta Post news agency.
Aldilang was saved in a state of near exhaustion. Photo: Indonesian Consulate General Osaka/Facebook.
Finally, the crew of the Arpeggio in the waters of Guam discovered the young man stranded in the middle of the sea. By jumping from the hut and clinging to the ropes from the sailors, Aldilang was rescued on August 31.
Then, Aldilang followed the crew to Japan on September 6 and was handed over to the Indonesian consulate here. A few days later, Aldilang was brought back to his hometown and reunited with his family.
“ The boy is at home now. At the end of this month, he will turn 19 years old and we will prepare to celebrate “- Adilang’s mother said.