A Russian man who survived 66 days adrift in a small inflatable boat shared his story from his hospital bed on Wednesday, October 15.
Mikhail Pichugin, 46, was rescued by a fishing vessel near the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula, more than two months after embarking on a trip with his brother and 15-year-old nephew, both of whom tragically died during the ordeal.
Originally from Ulan-Ude, Siberia, Pichugin worked as a driver on Sakhalin, a far eastern island. On August 9, he set off from the Khabarovsk region with his brother Sergei, 49, and nephew Ilya, intending to reach Sakhalin in a few hours. When they failed to arrive, Russian search teams used helicopters and planes, speculating the boat had drifted toward Kamchatka, but after no signs were found, the search was called off.
The boat was eventually discovered about 1,000 kilometers (670 miles) from its starting point.
From his hospital bed in Magadan, Pichugin, looking pale, briefly spoke to journalists. He recounted his survival in the Sea of Okhotsk, saying, “With God’s help, how else? A boat named Angel saved me,” he smiled, referring to the vessel that found him.
He explained he survived by collecting rainwater and credited a camel-hair sleeping bag for keeping him warm, even though it remained damp. “It doesn’t dry, but you wriggle under it and get warm,” he added.
Reflecting on his determination to survive, Pichugin said, “I had no choice. I have my mother and daughter at home.”
Magadan city deputy governor Tatiana Savchenko described his condition as “satisfactory” and stated that the local administration would cover his return home and family visits. Pichugin’s wife, Yekaterina, described his survival as “a kind of miracle” and noted that they had only packed provisions for two weeks. When found, Pichugin had lost half his body weight, dropping from 100 kg (220 pounds) to 50 kg.
Russian television suggested the men should have been equipped with a satellite phone, the only reliable communication tool in the Sea of Okhotsk. Police are expected to hold a press briefing after concluding their investigation.