Two Mexican fishermen have been rescued after surviving five days adrift in the Pacific Ocean inside a large fishing cooler, found roughly 150 miles off the coast of Chiapas.
Daniel Guerrero Martinez, 53, and Jose Luis Portelas Villegas, 32, set sail from the fishing town of Paredon on August 13, 2026. Their cooperative lost contact with them the following day and immediately alerted authorities.
The Camaronera sank in harsh weather
According to CNN, preliminary assessments suggest their vessel, the Camaronera, sank in rough conditions, forcing the pair into a large blue fishing cooler to stay afloat.
Dos pescadores que permanecieron cinco días a la deriva sobre una hielera fueron localizados y rescatados por personal naval a más de 240 km de la costa de Chiapas.
Mediante el despliegue de unidades de superficie y aéreas bajo el concepto Trinomio (buque–interceptora–aeronave),… pic.twitter.com/ysMhoOCpz1
— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) August 20, 2026
The Mexican Navy launched a coordinated search using surface ships, interceptor boats and aircraft. Five days in, a patrol vessel finally spotted the cooler bobbing in the water, and video released by the Navy shows the men being hoisted aboard.
Both men survived without food or water. “We didn’t think we were going to survive these days,” one fisherman said in a Navy-released video. “The only thing we could do was pray to God and wait for the help of all of you here from the Navy.”
The other described the ordeal in stark terms. “It was the hardest thing imaginable,” he said. “I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, not even my worst enemy.”
They were airlifted to port for treatment for severe dehydration and reunited with their families.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
