Aussie sailor, dog rescued after 2 months at sea, survives on a diet of ‘raw fish and rainwater’

livemint.com:

Sydney resident Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog Bella embarked on a journey from Mexico to French Polynesia in April. However, their voyage took a turn for the worse when their boat was damaged by a storm a few weeks later, leaving them stranded in the vast and hostile North Pacific Ocean. For over two months, Shaddock and Bella drifted at sea, surviving on a diet of raw fish and rainwater.

Their incredible survival story came to an end when a helicopter spotted them and they were rescued by a tuna trawler. Upon their rescue, a doctor aboard the trawler reported that Shaddock was in stable condition with normal vital signs. Though visibly leaner and sporting an overgrown beard, he expressed his gratitude for being found.

"I have been through a very difficult ordeal at sea," he told 9News. "I'm just needing rest and good food because I have been alone at sea a long time. Otherwise I'm in very good health." Shaddock also mentions that his fishing gear helped him survive.

Meanwhile,  he said the protection provided by his boat's canopy helped him avoid sunburn.  Following the rescue, he was seen smiling and wearing a blood pressure monitor on his arm, able to consume small meals. The tuna trawler is now en route back to Mexico, where Mr. Shaddock will undergo medical tests and receive further treatment if necessary.