Six sailors from the Brazilian vessel Bom Jesus became stranded on an uninhabited island April 1 after the ship caught fire, but were rescued thanks to their message in a bottle.
A fisherman found their desperate plea for rescue floating in the water and promptly engaged the Brazilian Navy, according to the New York Post. After a grueling 13 days without food or adequate supply of freshwater, the stranded sailors were rescued from Ilha das Flechas, also known as Arrow Island, and returned home to their loved ones.
Stranded sailors rescued from deserted island thanks to message in a bottle plea https://t.co/5FxPWik4c6 pic.twitter.com/qOVq2hsQmj
— New York Post (@nypost) April 15, 2022
After embarking on a 10-day ocean expedition, the boat caught fire, leaving the sailors scrambling to take shelter on the remote island off the coast of the Brazilian state of Para. They had very few resources available to sustain them, according to the New York Post.
The smart-thinking team wrote a note and put it in a bottle. They then tied a ball to the bottle and launched it into the ocean with the hope that, against all odds, someone would locate their plea for help and come to their aid, reported the New York Post.
The note read, “Help, help! We need help, our boat caught fire, we have been on Arrow Island for 13 days without food, let our family know,” CEN News Wire stated, according to the New York Post. (RELATED: Authorities Rescue 66 Stranded Ice Fishermen)
The dramatic rescue came just in time for the stranded men. They were taken to the city of Belém and physically examined, according to the New York Post. The sailors were reportedly all found to be in good health, albeit severely dehydrated after their harrowing experience.
The six men drank rainwater and rationed their food in order to survive, according to the outlet. The port authority has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the boat fire.