A 23-year-old man endured more than 40 hours floating in the Mediterranean Sea, surviving on sheer willpower while using only an inflatable ring and swim fins to stay afloat. The individual was eventually rescued off the coast of southern Spain after a perilous journey that began on the shores of North Africa.
The man had embarked on the dangerous crossing in mid-July alongside a teenage companion, aiming to reach European territory. After previous attempts to cross a border fence had failed, the two turned to the sea, purchasing basic swimming gear with pooled funds. They had trained for weeks, relying on their swimming abilities in the absence of money for smugglers’ fees.
Departing just before midnight, they had anticipated a calm sea and a journey lasting only several hours. However, conditions proved far more challenging than expected. High waves pushed them off course, and by morning, the two had become separated in the vast waters. For the next day and a half, the man was alone, drifting further into open water.
He described a harrowing ordeal, battling exhaustion, dehydration, and severe sun exposure. During the long hours, he clung to thoughts of his family, whom he had not seen in five years, and prayed for rescue. He spotted several vessels and desperately waved for help, but none came to his aid.
His salvation finally came when a private yacht spotted him, a small figure adrift approximately 13 nautical miles from the Spanish coastline. The crew alerted authorities and pulled him to safety. Footage of the rescue showed him collapsed on the deck, physically spent but alive. A rescue vessel later met the yacht and transported him to the port of Málaga.
In a fortunate turn, he later learned that his friend had also been found safe. After receiving initial care from the Red Cross, the man was released, as no repatriation agreement exists between Spain and his home country. He now faces the difficult process of seeking legal status in Europe, a path he acknowledges is fraught with challenges. Reflecting on his traumatic experience, he expressed profound gratitude for his survival but voiced a hope that no one else would ever have to endure a similar fate.
