A New Zealand fisherman was the subject of a miracle rescue after he successfully called for help using the reflection of the sun on his watch after he spent 23 hours out at sea.
The individual, identified as Will Fransen, fell off of his boat and got stranded out at sea. He said that he was lucky to be alive after he was spotted by people on boats after he used his watch's reflection to shine the sun's light in their direction.
Miracle Rescue in New Zealand
A New Zealand fisherman is lucky to be alive following a miracle rescue after he was stranded out at sea for 23 hours.(not actual photo)
The New Zealand fisherman was pulled overboard without a life jacket on Jan. 2 while attempting to reel in a marlin in waters off the nation's North Island. Fransen was able to survive by treading water and he was even circled briefly by a shark.
In a statement after he was rescued, he said that he knew his chances of surviving at the time were not great. He noted that he was usually the positive type of person but understood that at the time, he had little hope of getting back home alive, as per Reuters.
One of the people who rescued Fransen, James Mcdonnell, said that the New Zealand fisherman was "incredibly pale and incredibly cold" when they pulled him out from the water in the afternoon of Jan. 3.
Mcdonnell considered the entire incident an "incredible story" and argued that not many people would probably believe them if they told it. Fransen was found to have suffered little more than windburn and stiff joints from the entire incident.
He said that he planned to upgrade the safety rails on his boat to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future. However, the fisherman's boat has yet to be found since Fransen was rescued.
In a news release, Whangamata Police Sgt. Will Hamilton said that the New Zealand fisherman set off on a solo fishing trip on Jan. 2. Fransen was said to have been traveling in his 40-foot boat and planned to go back the next day, according to CBS News.
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Watch's Reflection
After Fransen fell overboard, he tried to catch up with his boat, however, it "meandered further out of reach until he could no longer see it. He then tried to swim to the Alderman Islands but was pulled back by the sea's currents.
When Mcdonnell and others rescued Fransen, they quickly notified the police and emergency responders greeted the fisherman at the marina. After getting back to dry land, he was said to be "hypothermic and exhausted."
Hamilton noted that the fact that Fransen was alive was an "absolute miracle" and applauded the rescuers for their quick retrieval of the victim. He noted that the entire ordeal could have had a much more tragic outcome.
Mcdonnell said that a series of unfortunate events led to the miracle rescue, adding that the reflection that caught their attention was roughly 600 meters away. Rescue boat skipper Max White said that their priority when they spotted Fransen was to get him aboard and keep him awake and warm, said CNN.
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