No Phone, No GPS: How Three Men Survived 11 Hours Adrift at Sea

Three men who went fishing were rescued a staggering 11 hours after their boat capsized.

How were they able to survive?

On the 9th, three men in their 20s and 30s who had set out on a motorboat for fishing near Yeongjongdo, Incheon, were rescued after drifting at sea for over 11 hours.

Their 0.28-ton motorboat capsized and was mostly submerged. One man waited on top of the hull while the other two clung to the boat, waiting for rescue.

After losing contact the previous day, the wife of one of the passengers reported it to 112, and the Coast Guard immediately launched a nighttime search.

However, they faced difficulties pinpointing the exact location because all their mobile phones were turned off and the boat lacked a GPS device.

Based on the last known location and tidal currents, the Coast Guard expanded the search area and finally found them the next morning.

At the time of rescue, the three men were transported to a hospital showing symptoms of hypothermia, but fortunately, their lives were not in danger.

The Coast Guard cited wearing life jackets and the relatively high water temperature of 25.8°C (78°F) at the time as the key factors that allowed them to survive in the sea for over 11 hours.

In fact, according to international manuals, when water temperatures are between 20°C (68°F) and 30°C (86°F), about half of immersed persons can survive for up to 24 hours.

(Photo courtesy of Incheon Coast Guard)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.