Zadar Sailors Rescue Stranded Fishermen after 30 Days in Pacific Ocean: ‘A Miracle of Strength’

A group of sailors from Zadar, Mario Radulić and Marko Birkić, who were part of the crew of the tuna trawler “Marielle,” are being praised for rescuing two fishermen who had been lost at sea for over 30 days. The two fishermen, Etuati Rabaere and his companion, were stranded in a small boat that was too low to be detected by radar after their engine broke down and they were swept away from their island of Nonouti.

The captain of the ship, Mario Radulić, shared how they spotted the exhausted fishermen from a great distance and made a course correction to rescue them. The sailors on board were able to give them water and food little by little as they nursed them back to health. The crew members include one Mexican, seven Filipinos, 11 Micronesians, and two Croats who are being hailed for their efforts to save the two stranded fishermen.

According to the sailors, it was the consistent rain that fell during the last 15 days of their ordeal that kept them alive. Without proper food or water for 30 days, the two fishermen were on the brink of exhaustion and dehydration when they were rescued. The crew’s actions are being celebrated as a great achievement by many people in both Zadar and Kiribati.