Officials said that a Russian man was rescued from the Sea of Okhotsk on Tuesday after spending more than two months trapped in an inflatable boat with no engine. His brother and nephew, however, were both dead.
A fishing boat rescued the man on Monday off the Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the prosecutor’s office of the Russian Far East.
The Russian media did not identify the survivor. However, they identified him as Mikhail Pichugin (46), who, along with his brother (49), and his nephew (15), had gone out to the Sea of Okhotsk in early August to observe whales.
The bodies of the victims were found on the boat after the Angel fishing vessel saved Pichugin.
The media reported that the three men were on their way to the Shantar Islands off the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk. The three men went missing on 9 August after they set off to return home to Sakhalin Island. Rescue efforts were launched, but they failed to find them.
The Russian media reported the trio was stranded with a small food ration, and 5.2 gallons (or 5.2 liters) of water after their engine broke down.
News reports stated that Pichugin weighed only 110lbs at the time he was discovered, having lost around half his body weight.
He didn’t immediately reveal how he survived in the Sea of Okhotsk – the coldest ocean in East Asia, known for its strong gales – or how his brother or nephew died.
The crew of the fishing boat initially thought that the small inflatable boat was a buoy or some junk. But they turned on the light to be sure and were shocked when they saw Pichugin.
The prosecutor’s video showed an emaciated, life-jacketed man desperately screaming “Come Here!” as the crew worked to drag him to safety.
He said, “I don’t have any strength left,” as he was being rescued.
The prosecution has launched an investigation on the charges of violating safety rules which resulted in death.
