The reflection of the clock saved the fisherman from drowning: 'he had been awake for two days' | Abroad

The man, whose name has not been released by police, had taken his boat on a day trip to the Mediterranean on Tuesday. Man wanted to catch some rare fish. At one point he thought he saw a marlin in the water, which is popular with anglers.

The man tried to hook the impressive saltwater fish, but fell overboard. When he tried to get back on board, he was swept away by the strong current. In the distance the man saw an island where he wanted to raise the alarm, but he could not get there because of the current.

The man's last hour seemed to be over. He was about 55 kilometers from the North Island with no help in sight. A shark even came to 'sniff' him for a while, to no avail. The man spent the night in the water, and suffered from extreme fatigue and hypothermia.

The next day around 2pm, the man's fate took a miraculous turn when three fishermen near Meyer Island noticed an “unusual reflection” in the water. The fisherman himself, who had fallen into the sea, desperately tried to attract their attention by reflecting the sun in his watch, writes New Zealand Herald. Rescuers rescued him from the water and immediately informed the police and proceeded to Wangamata Marina.

The 3 fishermen do not know what they are experiencing. “It's not something you'd expect 16 kilometers off Mayor Island,” the boat's captain, Max White, told the New Zealand newspaper. “The man was very cold and severely dehydrated. He had been awake for nearly two days. The drowned man reportedly muttered to the captain, 'Nice to see you.'

Police Sergeant Will Hamilton said in a statement that it was an “absolute miracle” the man was still alive. “Without the quick action of the three men who rescued him, this would certainly have had a tragic outcome. The fishermen did a fantastic job and undoubtedly saved this man's life. Few stories end like this, and the police cannot thank the trio enough.

Officials are searching for the fishermen's boat. He still has the watch. “The boat may be gone, but at least the fisherman still has his watch,” concludes Police Chief Hamilton with a laugh.