MC Terwase

Nineteen-year-old Aldi Novel Adilang survived 49 days lost at sea after strong winds snapped his rompong’s (floating fishing hut) mooring rope on July 14, 2018.

He drifted 1,200 miles from Indonesia towards Guam. With supplies exhausted in days, Aldi caught fish daily, filtered seawater through his t-shirt, and burned wood from his hut to cook and signal for help.

Ten ships passed without noticing him. On day 49, he radioed the MV Arpeggio tanker, which rescued him after he swam through huge waves. After medical care in Japan, he returned to Indonesia, vowing never to work at sea again.