MEXICO: Mexican fishermen come home after months lost in Pacific.

Three Mexican men who spent months lost and drifting across the Pacific Ocean in a flimsy fishing boat arrived home on Friday (August 25) to a heroes' welcome. The men's 25-foot (8-metre) fiberglass boat ran into trouble off Mexico's Pacific coast last November and drifted more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) before being picked up two weeks ago by a Taiwanese tuna trawler near the remote Marshall Islands in the South Pacific. The three survived by eating raw fish and sea birds and drinking rain water in one of the longest recorded cases of survival at sea. A brass band blaring out raucous local tunes greeted Rendon as he arrived at Tepic airport on his way to his home fishing port of San Blas, where the boat set off. The other two headed for other towns in Mexico for reunions with their families. Crying relatives hugged Rendon and stroked his face on the tarmac. The dramatic story of Salvador Ordonez, Jesus Vidana and Lucio Rendon's survival on the high seas has captivated Mexico. Stranded at sea, the men said they ate whatever they could and read the Bible to stay alive and keep their spirits up. Soon after arriving home, Rendon was whisked to church where a special mass was said to thank God for his survivor. In the Mexican state of Culiacan, fisherman Jesus Vidana was also met by hundreds of well-wishers and journalists. Relatives and friends excitedly greeted the fisherman, despite questions that have recently arisen over why they went to sea in the first place and over two other men who died on board. A government spokesman this week said the men were to be investigated for possible links to drug trafficking but Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said later there was no immediate evidence they were smugglers. Mexico's Pacific Coast is a corridor for shipping cocaine and marijuana north to the United States. The fishermen denied smuggling drugs, saying they went to sea to catch sharks. Fellow local fisherman backed them up, saying it was obvious that there were no drugs involved because their standard of living would be higher if they had money. Taciturn men from poor backgrounds, the survivors have charmed Mexico with their tenacity on the voyage and reluctance to play the role of heroes on their return. On some days, the men said they lay still for hours to avoid drawing the attention of inquisitive sharks that circled and thumped their tails against the boat. At night, birds came to rest on the boat and would tuck their heads under their wings to sleep and the men pounced to catch them for food.

ITN Source | August 26, 2006

Tags:. .port. .fellow. .drawing. .denied. .alive