Indonesian Fisherman Survives 26 Days Adrift in Pacific

Esau Sidemo, a 57-year-old fisherman from Bido Village, Batang Dua Island, Ternate, North Maluku, never imagined his fishing trip would turn into a 26-day struggle for survival. After his boat's engine failed, the currents swept his small vessel hundreds of kilometers away from home into the vast Pacific Ocean. To survive, Esau subsisted on seabirds, raw fish that jumped into his boat, and rotten coconuts that drifted by. He was even forced to drink his own urine. His rescue came when a French-flagged cargo ship found him, taking him to China before he was repatriated to Indonesia. "It was like a miracle," Esau said, recounting his prayers for reunion with his family during his ordeal. Sidemo's case is not an isolated incident. Fishermen in North Maluku face constant threats from engine failures, running out of fuel, high waves, and adverse weather. Data from Basarnas Ternate shows that 49 search and rescue operations for fishermen were conducted throughout 2025. Of these incidents, 122 people were found safe, seven died, and 20 remain missing. According to Iwan Ramdani, head of Basarnas Ternate, the archipelagic geography of North Maluku, with its high maritime activity, increases the risk. Waves in several incidents reportedly reached 2.5 meters. Furthermore, changing weather patterns are making it increasingly difficult for fishermen to determine optimal times to go to sea. Gafur Kaboli, a tuna fisherman and secretary of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Union of North Maluku, stated that fishermen's traditional knowledge of reading the seasons is often no longer reliable. "Victims due to the impact of climate change continue to rise as the weather becomes more unpredictable. Fishermen's safety is increasingly threatened," he said. Simultaneously, fish are becoming harder to find in waters near the coast. Previously, fishermen could catch tuna within a radius of less than 12 miles. Now, they have to travel further...