Russian Man Survives Miraculously After 66 Days Adrift at Sea

Pichugin said he survived thanks to rainwater and a camel wool sleeping bag during more than two months at sea with the bodies of his brother and nephew.

In a hospital in Magadan, in Russia’s far east, Mikhail Pichugin appeared pale with swollen red eyes, but his face wasn’t too gaunt. "Aside from being blessed by God, the boat named Angel saved me," said Pichugin, 46, from his hospital bed on October 16, referring to the fishing boat that found and rescued him after 66 days adrift at sea.

This was Pichugin’s first time speaking to the media after being rescued on October 14. When asked about the more than two months at sea, Pichugin explained that rainwater and a sleeping bag filled with camel wool had helped him survive.

“The sleeping bag got wet, but when you crawl inside and move around a bit, it feels warmer,” Pichugin said.

When asked about the motivation that kept him alive for such a long time, Pichugin said he "had no other choice because I still have my mother and daughter at home." He did not mention his wife.

Tatiana Savchenko, deputy governor of Magadan, stated that Pichugin’s condition was stable. Authorities would provide funds for Pichugin to purchase a plane ticket home.

Pichugin is from Ulan-Ude in Siberia but worked as a driver on the remote island of Sakhalin. On August 9, he set off from Khabarovsk, in Russia’s far east, with his brother Sergei, 49, and nephew Ilya, 15, bound for Sakhalin Island. The boat carrying the three men disappeared soon after. Rescue teams deployed helicopters and planes to search, but no trace was found.

Russian media reported that Pichugin’s group brought about 20 liters of water and collected rainwater, surviving on dry noodles and beans. However, Pichugin’s nephew died in early September, possibly due to hunger and exhaustion after being unable to digest the food they had. Pichugin’s brother Sergei fell into the sea three weeks later and died from hypothermia.

Pichugin tied the bodies of his brother and nephew to the boat to prevent them from being swept away by rough seas. He hung their life jackets on the side of the boat, hoping someone would see them.

They were discovered by the fishing boat Angel on October 14 in the Sea of Okhotsk, about 1,000 km from where Pichugin had set off.

According to Yekaterina, Pichugin's wife, he survived thanks to the energy stored in his body, which had weighed 100 kg. By the time he was found, Pichugin had lost 50 kg. “My husband’s survival is a miracle,” Yekaterina said.

The bodies of the two victims and the boat have been handed over to investigators. Pichugin may face prosecution and up to 7 years in prison on charges of violating safety regulations. Russian media suggested that Pichugin’s group should have carried a satellite phone, the only means of communication in the Sea of Okhotsk.