Malaysia four survive 10 days adrift

Without food and able to drink only sea water four people have survived 10 days adrift at sea off Borneo after their boat was swamped.

Two Spaniards and two Malaysians who spent 10 days adrift at sea had no food during the ordeal and drank small amounts of sea water to survive, using a bag to filter out salt, the father of one of the Spaniards says.

Marta Miguel and her boyfriend David Hernandez are weakened but in relatively good health, her father Luis Miguel told Spanish National Radio.

"Physically, they're not badly off despite everything they have suffered," Luis Miguel told the radio station.

TV images showed them smiling Friday as they got off a plane in the Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu.

They were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat in waters off Borneo island.

The Spaniards were drivelling in a small boat with the owner of a Malaysian resort and a resort employee.

A big wave swamped the boat and the waters carried away what food and water they had aboard.

They were unable to restart the motor, Luis Miguel said.

Spanish media have reported that the two were working as volunteers at the resort to get experience so they could start their own business, possibly in Malaysia.

Miguel said his daughter and her boyfriend will fly home to see relatives and that it's possible they will then go back to Malaysia.

They may want "to fulfil their dreams, but I wouldn't like that. It's been very traumatic for everyone, and for them as well," Miguel said.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world