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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Peter Fogg
Date: 2010 Nov 25, 16:31 +1100
Boys alive after 50 days adrift in Pacific
November 25, 2010 - 3:50PM
Three teenage boys have been rescued after drifting in the Pacific Ocean for 50 days in a small boat.
The three, who disappeared from New Zealand's Pacific territory of Tokelau on October 5, were presumed to have drowned after unsuccessful searches by the New Zealand Air Force. A memorial service was held for them.
They were rescued on Wednesday by a New Zealand tuna boat, San Nikunau, which spotted them north-east of Fiji, Radio New Zealand International reported.
The ship's first mate, Tai Fredricsen, said: "They were in reasonably good spirits for how long they'd been adrift - for approximately two months.
"They were very badly sunburned, but really they just needed basic first aid, which was some creams just to help soothe their burns."
He said the boys were able to drink "which was quite amazing considering how long they were without food for".
The Stuff news website said the only food they had was one seagull that they managed to catch and eat raw.
The ship, which is on its way back to New Zealand, is expected to leave the boys at the Fiji capital, Suva, on Friday, where they will be checked at a hospital.
MCT