8 days later and 100 miles out to sea tsunami survivor found

[underpants]

This might have been posted before but I just found this photo. Wow!



In this photo released by Durban Bridge, tsunami survivor Acehnese Rizal Shahputra stands on the tree branches and waves to a cargo ship after being spotted by the crew of a container vessel in the Indian Ocean, 100 nautical miles (160 kilometers) from the shores of Aceh province Monday, Jan. 3, 2005. The Indonesian man swept off shore by last week's tsunami was found afloat on tree branches and debris, the second person to be found alive at sea by Malaysian ships days after the disaster, officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Huang Wen Feng, Chief Officer MV Durban Bridge)

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=11182005

Mr Shahputra, 23, was cleaning a mosque in Banda Aceh on Sumatra island on Boxing Day when screaming children rushed in to warn him about the tsunami. But the surging waves swept them out to sea before they could escape.


Mr Shahputra said at least one ship sailed by without noticing him. Then, the crew of the MV Durban Bridge container vessel spotted him floating on an uprooted tree, about 160 kilometres west from the shores of Aceh.


The ship’s chief officer, Huang Wen Feng, described his survival as "a miracle."

"When I saw him, I was very very surprised to see someone standing," Mr Wen Feng said. "He was shouting at us. I couldn’t believe it."

[xultar]

1. OK I know that guy is blessed! n/t

[CatWoman]

2. Wow!!!!!

that's beautiful.

Miracles really do happen.

Thanks for posting, UP :hi:

[Bunny]

3. That is amazing! What a great story!

Could there be any more like him out there? I assume there are (or were) planes and choppers flying over the ocean, looking for people who are hanging on.

[underpants]

4. You ( actually I) would think that people in the sea would stand out

but they don't. Even that guy in yellow and on that bunch of branches was not seen by at least one ship.

[Vidar]

5. Good for him. Thanks for posting.

[underpants]

6. Yes a kick for Rizal

:thumbsup:

[bloom]

7. "Rizal Shahputra lived on rainwater and by eating coconuts...

which he prised open with a door latch while scores of others died around him. "