Lifeline in the sea: Fisherman rescues man adrift for six days in Sanya

In the waters of Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province, a fisherman recently rescued a man who had been adrift on a rubber dinghy for six days—reduced to skin and bones and visibly weakened.

A video of the rescue, which was posted online on Monday (Aug 18), shows the fisherman, Chan, discovering the frail man alone in the dinghy.

Survival after six days without food

Chan recounted that the incident occurred around 3pm on Monday while he and the ferry captain were near the outer waters of Sanya.

Hearing cries for help, they approached the dinghy and pulled the man aboard.

The victim identified himself as a resident of Guangxi and mentioned that his boat had capsized while drifting from Lingshui.

Chan attributed the man’s survival to recent rain, noting he was extremely skinny with sunburned, peeling skin.

“He was only able to speak two lines before lying down in exhaustion,” Chan said.

Chan then contacted the China Coast Guard for assistance, and the man was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment.

Local authorities reported that he was dehydrated but not in immediate life-threatening danger. However, he remained partially unconscious, and further evaluations were pending to fully assess his condition.