"Isn't That a Person?"... The 'Thing' That Saved a Man Who Endured 19 Hours on the Open Sea

Vietnamese Sailor Adrift in Australian Waters
Wearing Life Jacket at Time of Rescue

A man drifting in the open sea wearing only a life jacket was dramatically rescued after 19 hours in Australia. On the 12th (local time), foreign media including Australia's 9News reported that around 11 p.m. on the 7th, a cargo ship passing off the coast of Newcastle, Australia, had a Vietnamese crew member in his 20s fall into the sea. Upon receiving the missing person report, the Australian Coast Guard and several other agencies quickly dispatched search teams but were unable to find the man.

A man drifting in the open sea wearing only a life jacket was dramatically rescued after 19 hours in Australia. 9News

The crew member was found around 6 p.m. the next day, on the 8th. Two fishermen spotted the man floating about 5 km from the shore. The fishermen pulled him onto their boat and rescued him, then immediately took him to the hospital. It was about 19 hours after the missing person report was filed. The fisherman, Baller, said, "My friend said it looked like someone was in the water, and we rescued him," adding, "His pulse was weak, his face was pale, and he was exhausted."

Paramedic Erin Rotten said, "I've never seen anyone survive in the sea water for this long. It's amazing. He was conscious and able to communicate with us. Being in his 20s likely helped him endure." The Coast Guard, which conducted the search operation, said, "We carried out an extensive search, so finding him alive is truly astonishing news," and added, "At first, we didn't know how long he had been in the water, but we were shocked once we found out." The crew member was wearing a life jacket at the time of rescue and was carrying a plastic bag containing his ID, wallet, and a pack of cigarettes. Because of this, the Australian Border Force is investigating whether the Vietnamese crew member intentionally jumped into the sea or fell in by accident.

Meanwhile, the most critical factor for survival when falling into the sea is water temperature. It is known that at around 5 degrees Celsius, one can survive for about 1 hour; at around 10 degrees, about 2 hours; and at around 15 degrees, about 6 hours. If the water temperature is in the high 20s Celsius, the survival time is approximately 25 hours. After that, the key is to try to stay afloat. According to survival tips advised to sea fishermen in Ireland, the best way to prevent body temperature from dropping is not to try swimming but to raise your knees to chest level and try to float. Furthermore, clothes and shoes can trap air for a while after entering the water, helping the body stay afloat. Therefore, staying still and floating quietly is more effective at trapping air than moving around a lot.