An Australian sailor and his dog have been found alive after being stranded in the Pacific Ocean for two months.
In April, Tim Shaddock, a 51-year-old from Sydney, Australia, and his dog, Bella, set sail from La Paz, Mexico, and intended to travel to French Polynesia, 9News, an Australian media outlet, reported on July 15.
According to 9News, who spoke to Shaddock shortly after he was discovered off the coast of Mexico, the sailor’s catamaran was damaged in a storm in May.
Shaddock lost access to all his electronic devices, leaving him incapable of reaching out for help.
For two months, the Aussie and his dog ate raw fish and drank rainwater to survive. Last week, a helicopter finally noticed Shaddock’s vessel drifting in the Pacific Ocean.
In a clip shared on 9News’ YouTube channel, Shaddock, with an overgrown beard and baggy clothes, tells the outlet his name and shares how he is feeling.
“I’ve been through a very difficult ordeal at sea and I’m just needing rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea a long time,” he says. “I have not had food, enough food, for a long time.”
He explains that he relied solely on fishing and survival gear when he was lost at sea.
The video includes a photo of Shaddock smiling while getting his blood pressure taken.
9News also spoke to Shaddock’s doctor who provided a brief health update on the sailor and likened his experience to Tom Hanks’s journey in the 2000 film “Cast Away.”
Shaddock, who is still onboard the rescue boat, is being examined as he travels back to Mexico.
“I have very good medicine,” the sailor says in the clip. “I’m being looked after very well.”
According to 9News, Shaddock does not have any serious illnesses or injuries. He shielded himself from the sun by lying under a canopy on his boat.
Shaddock will be examined by more medical professionals when he lands.
The news station also reported that Bella is doing well and recovering.