Teenager Survives 49 Days at Sea in a Floating Wooden Hut
Aldi Novel Adilang
At the age of only 18, Aldi Novel Adilang experienced something that one would typically only read in an adventure novel. He worked as a fisherman on a small floating wooden hut, known as a Rompong, anchored in the Indonesian sea.
For him, it was normal to go for days without speaking to anyone. The requirement of his job was to fish independently for a week until the catch was picked up at the end of the week. Then he would receive fresh supplies for the next week.
A challenging job in Indonesia
Aldi took up this job at the age of 16, earning $130 per month. His employment contract was renewed every six months, and he was expected to spend long hours each day actively catching fish from the sea.
In the week of July 14th, he expected to be bored at work, but things took an unexpected turn. Little did he know that he would be pushed to his limits. It all began in the Indonesian waters.
An unexpected journey
Aldi was aware of the dangers he faced while at work, but he couldn't avoid all of them. His anchor line, which kept his floating wooden hut secured 80 miles away from the shore, was torn away.
The wind was strong, and his supervisor couldn't rescue him in time. "I thought I would never see my parents again," Aldi explained to AP. "I just prayed every day," he added.
A recurring problem
The anchor line had broken before. When the wind or currents were strong, it sometimes happened. Previously, Aldi's supervisor had always managed to pull him out of the water at the last moment.
This time, however, he drifted into the open sea. He covered 1,200 miles towards Guam, without any hope of being discovered. It would take 49 days before Aldi was rescued. But how would he survive this journey?
A Rompong
Aldi had no means to steer or propel his Rompong. It was up to him to survive as long as possible, ration his resources, and attract as much attention as possible to be spotted by passing ships.
He had provisions meant for a week, but Aldi knew he had to use them sparingly. "I was on the raft for one month and 18 days. The food I brought lasted for a week. After that, I had to fish," he said.
Aldi's equipment
Although his Rompong had no oars or any sort of mechanical propulsion, it was equipped with other items. Aldi had a walkie-talkie with which he would later send out distress calls.
He had to be careful with it, though, as the batteries wouldn't last long. Every time a ship passed by, he tried to reach someone. Unfortunately, he had no luck for 49 days. How would he be rescued?
Water supply
As we know, one can only survive for three days without water. Aldi found a solution to filter seawater and make it drinkable. "I used my clothes to filter the water," explained Aldi to AP.
When stranded at sea, one can only hope for some rainwater or do their best to filter the seawater. It didn't take long before he faced another critical situation that he had to solve.
His Gas Stove
Aldi had a gas stove on his Rompong. The gas stove worked well, and he cooked all his meals with it. After a while, he ran out of gas for the stove, and his creativity had to come into play once again.
Otherwise, he would have had to eat raw fish. Aldi actually used wooden parts of his own Rompong to make a fire. This method, of course, would not have worked forever, but it was a temporary solution for him.
Being Discovered
Fajar Firdaus, a diplomat from the consulate in Osaka, told the Post, "Aldi said he was scared and often cried. Every time he spotted a large ship in the distance, a glimmer of hope blossomed in him.
About 10 ships passed by but either didn't stop or simply didn't spot him." It seemed like a hopeless situation that he couldn't improve. His hope was to survive long enough until he eventually spotted a coast.
Rescue from Home
It took a while for Aldi's parents to find out what had happened to their son. Rescue from their home country seemed relatively unrealistic because the open sea was unpredictable, and who knew where Aldi had drifted in just a few hours, let alone a week.
Aldi's parents had no choice but to hope that their son would eventually return. An unrealistic wish that, nonetheless, came true for them.
A Bulk Carrier
In the end, Aldi had some luck. On August 31st, he spotted a bulk carrier called "Arpeggio" in the waters off Guam. And although the crew didn't spot him, Aldi used his walkie-talkie and found the right frequency.
The ship, with the Panamanian flag, MV Arpeggio, received a message through their radio - "Help, help, help!" - relayed by a member of the crew, Emmanuel Soriano. Immediately, the captain, Narciso Santillan, was informed.
Rescue Operation
An immediate rescue operation was initiated. Clearly, someone was in distress in the middle of the open sea. The whole situation was filmed and even broadcasted on television because this rescue was no small feat. It took a while for the ship to come close enough to Aldi's raft to pick him up.
They had to be careful because getting too close could sink the small floating wooden house. They wanted to avoid that, of course.
Reaching the Deck
To reach the deck, Aldi had to hold onto a lifebuoy in the water. Then he managed to make his way to the lower end of the ship to climb up a ladder. Once they could reach Aldi, they pulled the boy onto the ship. It must have been a wonderful moment for Aldi.
He had actually managed to survive 49 days at sea, not knowing if he would ever encounter another human being again.
Provisions
As Aldi climbed onto the ship, he was wearing shorts and a black Ferrari T-shirt, which had helped him filter the water. He was immediately handed a blanket, given water, and a few slices of black bread.
Although he initially collapsed, he managed to get back on his feet within five minutes, and a smile appeared on his lips. The video even shows him shaking the hands of the crew.
Getting back on his feet
The crew helped him recover. They were not yet near the nearest port, and Aldi had time to receive a haircut from the ship's chef. They also gave him new clothing, for which he expressed gratitude.
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