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When his ship was torpedoed in 1942, Poon Lim drifted alone on a wooden raft in the South Atlantic for 133 days, catching fish with a hook made from a torch spring. It is still the longest recorded solo survival at sea.

Poon Lim (1918–1991)

HistoryBiography

Why it matters

The idea in context

A Chinese steward on a British merchant ship, Lim found a raft with a few tins of biscuit and some water. When those ran out he improvised: a fish hook from a torch spring, a knife from a biscuit tin, a canvas canopy to catch rain. He taught himself to swim to keep his strength. Ships and aircraft passed without seeing him. Brazilian fishermen found him at last, and he had lost only about nine kilos. He said afterwards he hoped no one would ever have to break his record.

Türkçe

Aynı kart, başka bir dilde.

1942'de gemisi torpillendiğinde Poon Lim, Güney Atlantik'te ahşap bir salda 133 gün tek başına sürüklendi; bir el feneri yayından yaptığı kancayla balık tuttu. Bu, denizde kayıtlı en uzun tek başına hayatta kalış olmayı sürdürüyor.
Poon Lim (1918-1991)

Bir İngiliz ticaret gemisinde Çinli kamarot olan Lim, birkaç kutu bisküvi ve biraz suyla bir sal buldu. Bunlar bitince doğaçladı: El feneri yayından olta kancası, bisküvi kutusundan bıçak, yağmur toplamak için branda bir tente. Gücünü korumak için kendi kendine yüzmeyi öğretti. Gemiler ve uçaklar onu görmeden geçti. Sonunda Brezilyalı balıkçılar buldu ve yalnızca dokuz kilo kaybetmişti. Sonradan, kimsenin rekorunu kırmak zorunda kalmamasını umduğunu söyledi.

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Background reading: Poon LimAttribution and context are revised when stronger evidence appears. Corrections are welcome through the editorial page.
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