ケチャップが命綱…２４日間漂流の男性救助　コロンビア

【ボゴタＡＦＰ＝時事】カリブ海をヨットで２４日間漂流していたドミニカ共和国出身の男性がこのほど、中米コロンビア領海で救助された。男性はケチャップで食いつないだという。（写真は救助された男性。コロンビア海軍提供）
　コロンビア海軍が公開した動画でエルビス・フランソワさん（４７）は、「食べ物がなかった。船にはケチャップの瓶１本、ガーリックパウダー、マギー（のブイヨンキューブ）しかなかった。水と混ぜて食べて、２４日間海で生き延びた」と英語で語っている。健康状態は良好そうに見える。
　フランソワさんは、コロンビア北部ラグアヒラ州プエルトボリバル沖の北西１２０カイリの地点で発見された。船体には「ｈｅｌｐ」と彫られていた。
　ヨットは浸水しており、フランソワさんは沈まないよう水をかき出していた。
　フランソワさんによると、今月１５日前後に上空に飛行機を発見。鏡で太陽光を反射させて合図を送ったという。「ヨットの上を２回通り過ぎたので、気付いてくれたと分かった」「きょう生きているのは彼らのおかげだ」
　この飛行機の乗組員が海軍に通報し、海軍が商船の助けを借りて救助した。
　コロンビア海軍によると、フランソワさんは昨年１２月、カリブ海のオランダ自治領シントマールテンの港でヨットを修理していたところ、海が荒れ沖に流された。操縦方法を知らず、方角が分からなくなったという。携帯電話で助けを呼ぼうとしたものの、圏外だった。
　フランソワさんは、帰国のため、出入国管理局に引き渡された。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/01/23-15:57）

A man from the Caribbean island of Dominica says he survived 24 days lost at sea in a sailboat by eating ketchup before being rescued in Colombian waters, the country's naval authority said.
I had no food. There was only a bottle of ketchup that was on the boat, garlic powder and (bouillon cubes) Maggi. So I mixed it up with some water for me to survive 24 days in the sea, Elvis Francois, 47, said in English in a video released by the Colombian Navy.
The islander had the word help carved on the hull of the boat when he was found 120 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Bolivar in the northern department of La Guajira.
Francois said he saw other boats pass by and tried to flag them down, even lighting a fire on his vessel, but they did not see him.
Francois bailed water to keep from sinking.
The final days, about the 15th of January, I saw a plane. I had a mirror. I was making some signals, he said, describing how he angled the glass to catch the glare of the sun and draw attention.
They passed over the boat twice so I realized they saw me, he continued. I am grateful for being alive today because of them.
The aircraft crew informed the Navy, who then rescued Francois with the help of a merchant ship.
Francois added: 24 days, no land. Nobody to talk to. Don't know what to do. Don't know where you are. It was rough. A certain time I lose hope. I think about my family.
Video released by the Navy shows a doctor examining Francois, who appears to be in good health.
It was very rough. I don't know how I am alive today but I am alive. And I am grateful for that, Francois said.
He was working to repair a sailboat off a harbor on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles in December last year when the weather turned foul and he was swept out to sea, the Navy said.
Without having any knowledge of navigation he was lost and disoriented at sea. His efforts to maneuver the vessel and the equipment on board were to no avail, the statement added.
Francois tried to make calls on his cell phone, but he ran out of signal.
He was handed over to the immigration authorities to coordinate his return to his country.