A fisherman branded ‘the miracle man of the Pacific’ after surviving 14 months in the ocean believes God saved his life.
Jose Salvador Alvarenga, who survived by eating raw fish and drinking his own urine, revealed he is a Christian who prayed regularly during his ordeal.
The 37-year-old said: “I know that God saved me. I am glad that I believe in him. Every day was the same, just the sea, the sea. When you need to eat, when you need to drink, you keep your mind alive. And you pray. I prayed to God all the time. I prayed to stay alive.
“I thank God and I thank the birds I caught to eat. I caught fish, and at times I drank my own urine to have liquid. I believe in God; he sent food to me all the time.”
Jose set out from Mexico on his 24ft fishing boat for nearby El Salvador in December, 2012, but he ended up travelling more than 8,000 miles to the Ebon Atol. His companion, Ezekiel Cordoba, died after being stranded for four months.
Jose eventually hit land when he ran on to a reef where he was discovered by two women.
Jose’s mother, Maria Julia Alvarenga, said she prayed for him every day and saw him alive in her dreams. She told reporters: “It is a divine miracle.”