An incredible story has emerged of how two women and their dogs, who were lost at sea for five months, managed to survive despite battling against sharks and having just dry pasta, rice and oatmeal to eat.
Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava set sail from Hawaii to Tahiti, only for their boat's engine to die during poor weather and their satellite phone to be tossed overboard.
"The storm had dropped copious amounts of water and it flooded the cockpit, which actually ended up flooding the ignition and the starter for the boat," Appel told KHON.
Credit: Khon 2
"You can't get any help at all because you're in the middle of nowhere," Fuiava added. "And if it falls apart around you, you're swimming, and you're shark bait."
They were left floating at an incredibly slow speed, with the women and dogs owing their life to a water purifier that made the ocean water drinkable and a years' supply of dry pasta, rice, and oatmeal.
Despite issuing daily distress calls no boat or shore station came into range.
The lowest point in their voyage came when they were surrounded by sharks who weren't too happy with them being around.
Credit: Khon 2
"We were slowly maneuvering through their living room. They came by to slap their tails and tell us we needed to move along," Appel said. "They decided to use our vessel to teach their children how to hunt. They attacked at night."
"You can't get any help at all because you're in the middle of nowhere, and if it falls apart around you, you're swimming, and you're shark bait," said Fuiava.
But thankfully on 24 October they were discovered 900 miles southeast of Japan by a Taiwanese fishing boat, which in turn contacted the U.S Coast Guard in Guam.
Credit: Khon 2
"I'm grateful for their service to our country. They saved our lives. The pride and smiles we had when we saw [the U.S. Navy] on the horizon was pure relief," said Appel.
"When we saw you guys coming over the horizon, it was like, 'Oh, God! We've been saved.' It was the most amazing feeling because we honestly did not believe that we would survive another 24 hours in the current situation."
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Topics: Sharks, World News, News, Dogs