Without food and water German found on desert island after two days
A German sailor becomes a castaway on the IJsselmeer: After his boat drifted away, he survived two nights without water, food or radio communication on a barren island - he was only rescued at the last minute.
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- A German sailor was stranded on an uninhabited bird island in the Dutch IJsselmeer after his boat capsized and survived there for two nights without food, water or radio contact.
- He was only rescued on Sunday evening after a passing ship discovered his damaged boat and alerted the coastguard; the man was weakened but survived.
- The sea rescue service urgently warns against inadequate preparation on the water - functioning means of communication and safety precautions are essential even on short journeys.
On Friday, a German sailor experienced scenes straight out of the movie "Cast Away": after his boat capsized, he had to save himself on the Dutch IJsselmeer island. He stayed there for two whole nights - without food or proper protection from the weather.
The man had anchored near the bird island of De Kreupel, around five kilometers north of Andijk. But the anchor rope came loose, the boat drifted off - and finally crashed onto the rocky coast. The sailor was able to save himself on the shore, but this was the beginning of a fight for survival.
No water, no radio - just canvas and luck
Without drinking water, food or functioning means of communication, the man had to hold out on the barren island. His cell phone battery was empty and he didn't have a radio with him. He waited for rescue in a makeshift canvas tent - while the wind and cold exacerbated the situation. The island, which is actually a bird sanctuary, became an involuntary emergency shelter.
Rescue only came on Sunday evening when a passing ship spotted the damaged boat and alerted the Dutch coastguard. "It shouldn't have taken any longer," a spokesperson for the Dutch KNRM (Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Organization) told RTL.nl.
"Frightened and weakened"
Menno Betzema, captain of the lifeboat, was one of the first to find the exhausted German: "He was frightened and weakened. The islet is barely passable and the smell there is really unpleasant." The cold nights and strong winds had taken their toll on him. After the rescue, the man was given warm drinks, food and dry clothes and taken to a hotel - where he is currently recovering from the scare.
Just how dangerous it can be on the water was demonstrated again on the same day: a windsurfer got into distress on the north pier of IJmuiden. The coastguard was able to rescue him around 300 meters off the coast. A stroke of luck - twice over this time.
Experts warn: don't just be prepared in summer
The KNRM uses the incidents to make an urgent appeal: functioning means of communication are mandatory - even on short trips. In addition, a trusted person should always be informed of the planned route. Especially outside the summer months, the likelihood of missing persons being discovered in time decreases.
A spokesperson summarizes: "The sea does not forgive recklessness - not even inland."
