Current:Home > BackAustralian sailor speaks about being lost at sea with his dog for months: "I didn't really think I'd make it"-LoTradeCoin
Australian sailor speaks about being lost at sea with his dog for months: "I didn't really think I'd make it"
View Date:2024-12-23 23:39:47
An Australian sailor who was lost at sea with his dog for nearly three months spoke about their ordeal during a news conference on Tuesday after being rescued recently in the Pacific Ocean.
Timothy Shaddock said he didn't think he'd make it, especially because a hurricane was coming.
"I did enjoy being at sea. I enjoyed being out there," he told reporters during a news conference in Manzanillo, Mexico, where he disembarked on Tuesday. "But when things get tough out there, you know, you have to survive. And then when you get saved, you feel like you want to live. So, I'm very grateful."
Shaddock, who was sailing from Mexico to French Polynesia with his dog, Bella, lost contact because his boat's electronics system was damaged during rough seas.
During the news conference, he said he was rescued after a helicopter flew above his boat. He said it was the first vehicle he had seen in months. After that, a tuna trawler arrived to rescue him.
The tuna boat, called Grupomar, spotted Shaddock's boat about 1,200 miles from land, according to the Associated Press. When they found Shaddock, he and Bella were in a "precarious" state, according to a statement by the company that operates the fishing fleet.
While lost at sea, Shaddock ate what he called sushi —or raw fish— to survive. "But it was enough, you know. I'm still very skinny. By the time I came here to the fishing boat, I was just eating so much food," he said.
He received medical attention after his rescue and said during the news conference that his health "was pretty bad for a while" but now he's doing "pretty good." He said Bella is a lot braver than he is.
Mike Tipton, a professor of human and applied physiology at the University of Portsmouth, told 9 News that having a companion like Bella may have made a difference for Shaddock. He added that their survival was based on a "combination of luck and skill."
Shaddock said during the news conference that he plans to return to Australia and that he still loves the ocean.
"I'm just so grateful," he said about the captain of the boat and the fishing company that saved his life. "I'm alive. And I didn't really think I'd make it."
Caitlin O'KaneCaitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (6121)
Related
- Jamie Lee Curtis and Don Lemon quit X, formerly Twitter: 'Time for me to leave'
- Shakira to appear in Barcelona court on the first day of her tax fraud trial in Spain
- Got fall allergies? Here's everything you need to know about Benadryl.
- Trump receives endorsement from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at border as both Republicans outline hardline immigration agenda
- 'Climate change is real': New York parks employee killed as historic drought fuels blazes
- Vogt resigns as CEO of Cruise following safety concerns over self-driving vehicles
- Ahead of Dutch elections, food banks highlight the cost-of-living crisis, a major campaign theme
- Rosalynn Carter: Advocate for Jimmy Carter and many others, always leveraging her love of politics
- NY forest ranger dies fighting fires as air quality warnings are issued in New York and New Jersey
- School district and The Satanic Temple reach agreement in lawsuit over After School Satan Club
Ranking
- Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
- Univision cozies up to Trump, proving the Latino vote is very much in play in 2024
- Ahead of Dutch elections, food banks highlight the cost-of-living crisis, a major campaign theme
- NFL playoff picture: Browns, Cowboys both rise after Week 11
- Prosecutors say some erroneous evidence was given jurors at ex-Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial
- Albanese criticizes China over warship’s use of sonar that injured an Australian naval diver
- Trump receives endorsement from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at border as both Republicans outline hardline immigration agenda
- Taylor Swift fan dies at the Eras Rio tour amid heat wave. Mayor calls for water for next shows
Recommendation
-
Man waives jury trial in killing of Georgia nursing student
-
Here are the Books We Love: 380+ great 2023 reads recommended by NPR
-
Calling all elves: Operation Santa seeking helpers to open hearts, adopt North Pole letters
-
Full transcript of Face the Nation, Nov. 19, 2023
-
'Yellowstone's powerful opening: What happened to Kevin Costner's John Dutton?
-
Shakira reaches a deal with Spanish prosecutors on the first day of tax fraud trial
-
Wilson, Sutton hook up for winning TD as Broncos rally to end Vikings’ 5-game winning streak, 21-20
-
A hat worn by Napoleon fetches $1.6 million at an auction of the French emperor’s belongings