The 47-year-old man, who was dragged in the sea for about a month, managed to survive by eating 1 bottle of ketchup, garlic powder and broth tablets.
Elvis Francois, who was trying to repair a boat in the port of Saint Martin Island in the Caribbean Sea, came face to face with death in December.
Beginning to drift with the current, Francois found himself in the middle of the sea.
Francois, who had no maritime knowledge and was dragged in the open sea, could not ask for help because he did not pick up the phone.
He Survived by Eating Ketchup
Drifting for days at sea, 47-year-old Francois survived by eating 1 bottle of ketchup, garlic powder and broth tablets for 24 days.
Caught the Attention Of the Plane
Francois, who wrote “help” on the hull of the sailboat, managed to attract attention by reflecting the sun’s rays on an airplane using a mirror on January 15th.
Rescued From the Sea
The crew reported the situation to the Colombian navy. A commercial ship contacted by the navy rescued Francois, who had been dragged in the sea for about a month, and brought him to the port city of Cartagena.
While Francois was undergoing a health check, the immigration department started the relevant process for his return to his country.
“I Had Nothing To Do But Wait”
Francis expressed his experiences as follows;
“There was no food on the boat. There were ketchup, garlic powder, and broth tablets. I mixed the broth tablets with water and drank them. I had nothing to do but sit and wait. At one point, I lost hope and thought about my family. Thank you to the Navy. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to tell this story.”
