Drifting for 2 days through the storm and miraculously surviving: Hang in there, your wife and children are still at home.

Mr. Le Van Sanh (37 years old, resident of Ly Son special zone) - the youngest of the three people who drifted for 2 days at sea, survived storm No. 13 and miraculously survived, was the most resilient. When he was rescued, he did not even have a life jacket.

When he was rescued, Mr. Sanh did not have a life jacket. He swam for about 24 hours continuously - Photo: AN VINH

"Keep going, your wife and children are at home" creates motivation to survive

On the morning of November 9, three people who miraculously survived after two days of drifting through storm No. 13 are being treated at the Military-Civilian Medical Center of Ly Son Island. All three are still in weak condition and are gradually recovering.

Mr. Sanh said that at around 3:00 p.m. on November 6, Mr. Duong Quang Cuong (44 years old, residing in Tay An Vinh village, Ly Son special zone) went to Tay An Vinh wharf area and suddenly jumped into the sea.

Seeing that, Mr. Phan Duy Quang (47 years old) and Mr. Le Van Sanh (37 years old) immediately rowed a boat to rescue. Although the waves were very big due to the influence of storm No. 13, it could not stop the chivalrous spirit of Mr. Quang and Mr. Sanh.

The two heroes Quang and Sanh used the basket to fight the raging waves and got Mr. Cuong onto the basket. But the "wrath of the sea" swept the basket away.

The pitch-black night, towering waves and howling wind were too harsh a challenge. But with their experience of "eating waves and sleeping in the wind", the three tried to hold on to the boat, hoping to survive the storm that kept coming.

But human strength could not overcome nature. "At around 8pm on November 6, the boat was overturned by the wind and waves and sank. At that time, everyone was tired, I encouraged my brothers to keep trying, while my wife and children stayed at home," said Mr. Sanh.

The three life jackets seemed to be the last chance for the three small people in the face of nature. Cold, hungry, and exhausted, there were times when Mr. Sanh saw Mr. Cuong giving up. Mr. Sanh encouraged his brothers to "keep going".

They survived that stormy night together. By around 3am on 7-11, all three were exhausted and were being pushed further and further away by the waves. However, they could still see each other, and Mr. Sanh still shouted to encourage Mr. Cuong. Mr. Sanh himself was very tired, but thinking of his young wife and orphaned children at home, he refused to give up.

On the afternoon of November 8, Mr. Sanh was discovered and rescued by the An Vinh Express ship in the Gia Lai sea (about 100km from Ly Son). When he was rescued, Mr. Sanh was swimming, without a life jacket. He himself could not remember when he lost his life jacket.

He only remembers seeing ships passing by, trying to signal for help. Perhaps, in one of his attempts, he took off his life jacket and was unable to put it back on.

Mr. Quang when he was rescued - Photo: AN VINH

Mr. Quang and Mr. Sanh braved the wind and waves to row a boat out to sea to save Mr. Cuong - Photo: MINH VAN

Eat raw fish, drink rainwater

As for Mr. Quang, when he was rescued by the Hainan 39 ship at 9am on November 8, although he was exhausted, he still said "there are two more people, I don't know if they have been saved yet" and hoped everyone would find a way to save them.

According to Mr. Quang, although the waves separated the three brothers, only Mr. Cuong was drifted in a different direction and further away, while Mr. Sanh and Mr. Quang were still visible on the sea surface, only "lost track" a few hours before being rescued.

"When I was hungry, I caught crabs and fish to eat raw. When I was thirsty, I opened my mouth to drink rainwater. When I saw the Hainan 39, I used my last bit of strength to swim closer and signal. Luckily, the ocean was merciful and I was saved," said Mr. Quang.

For the people of Ly Son, their lives depended on the sea for generations, but the fact that all three survived storm No. 13 was truly a miracle. Even the most experienced fishermen said it was "hard to believe" that all three had swum for 2 days.

Mr. Cuong when he was rescued by a fishing boat - Photo: AN VINH

Fisherman Nguyen Chi Thanh (Ly Son) also drifted for 18 hours at sea and said that "only with the loving mother sea can one survive". Based on his experience, Mr. Thanh said that he drifted with his comrades on the boat after a sea accident, but during those 18 hours, he was lucky to be able to hold the bow of the boat so he was less tired.

"It's a miracle that Sanh survived on foot without a life jacket. Even with a life jacket, moving continuously in the big waves and strong winds is very tiring, plus cold and hunger. We, the people of Ly Son, held a party to celebrate the three brothers' return because we know this is a miracle," said Thanh.

The whole Ly Son island was as happy as Tet to welcome the return of 3 people who escaped death, fireworks lit up the night sky.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huy - Chairman of the People's Committee of Ly Son Special Zone - said that he was very happy. Since hearing the news, people have been laughing and crying with joy. The most pitiful thing is the relatives. They were in despair, then the miracle continued to appear.

"Very happy, now I hope all three will quickly recover and return to their loved ones. Only then will we be able to ask about this miraculous survival. Right now all three are forgetful and unable to recount their journey in a coherent manner," said Mr. Huy.

TRAN MAI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/troi-dat-2-ngay-xuyen-bao-va-song-sot-than-ky-co-len-con-vo-con-o-nha-2025110910450216.htm