Indonesian teenager survives 49 days at sea

An Indonesian teenager, who is just four days away from turning 19 survived 49 days at sea by consuming only fish before being rescued by a Panamanian vessel.

The teenager, by the name of Aldi Novel Adilang, was entrusted with the job of lighting lamps on a ‘rompong’ - a floating fish trap without any paddles or engine.

However, on July 14, Mr Adilang’s ‘rompong’ was hit by heavy winds, which caused its moorings to snap and thereby sent Mr.Adilang thousands of kilometers away near Guam.  

Mr Adilang was on a rompong, a floating fishing trap that is shaped like a hut. 

"Every time he saw a large ship, he said, he was hopeful, but more than 10 ships had sailed past him. None of them stopped or saw [him]” his mother was quoted saying by AFP

The captain of the Panamanian vessel contacted the Guam coast guard, who instructed the crew to take him to Japan, the ship's destination.

Mr Adilang arrived in Japan on 6 September and flew back to Indonesia two days later, where he has now been reunited with his family. He is said to be in good health.