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KIRIBATI: Tuna Fishermen Safe After 10-Week Drift At Sea ff

22 July 2004 Kiribati

Three fishermen from Kiribati are safe after enduring more than 70 days of drifting in the open ocean. They floated into Arno Atoll in the Marshall Islands, more than 300 miles north of their home atoll of Tarawa over the weekend and now have returned home.

The owner and captain of the boat went tuna fishing on May the 4th with two others, Teuru Beretiati and Kotua Tetaburi.

He says a large object floating underwater knocked the 30-horsepower engine off the boat’s transom and into the water.

During their 10-week ordeal, the trio drank rainwater and fish blood, and ate rainbow runner fish, turtle and shark. Abera says they saw lots of fishing boats but were never close enough to catch their attention.