Fisherman survives falling overboard 'by swimming for four hours' back to island

A Cambodian fisherman survived falling overboard from a ship by swimming for four hours back to shore.

Chit Sai, 35, had set sail on the Chok Prasitsilp boat with his crewmates to deploy crab traps off Rayong province, Thailand, on July 22.

The sailors finished their job early morning on July 23, and headed back to the Ao Makham Pom pier to rest. However, upon docking, they realised they were one person short, with Chit Sai nowhere to be found.

The boat captain said: 'On the return voyage, I had seen four of my men lying on the deck without Chit Sai. U just assumed he was resting somewhere else. I had no idea he was thrown overboard.'

The crew reported the disappearance to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and launched a search with the officers. However, they failed to find the missing angler in the choppy seas.

They returned to shore four hours later to regroup, but were shocked to receive a report that the fisherman had turned up exhausted but safe on Koh Man Nok island.

Chit Sai was greeted by his friends and emotional wife, who was overjoyed to find her husband alive.

He said: 'I was sitting alone on an ice container at the back of the boat, while all the crew members had already gone up to sleep.

'While sitting there, suddenly a large wave hit the boat. I was not careful, so I fell into the sea. I was shocked because I was not prepared for the waves to be so strong.'

Chit Sai said he had started to lose hope after floating for around two hours in the sea, before coming across a piece of bamboo which he used as a makeshift life preserver.

Footage shows Chit Sai revealing the wounds on his torso from clinging onto the ragged piece of wood.

He said that he soldiered through his exhaustion and swam toward what appeared to be the nearest island for another two hours.

Chit Sai said: 'The waves were powerful, and I had already used up a lot of energy. What kept me going was the thought of my parents and my wife waiting for me at home. They gave me the strength to fight for my life.

'After two hours, I reached the beach at Koh Man Nok. Someone came to help me. I am grateful to be alive, and I want to thank the people who helped me. From now on, I will be very careful when I am at sea.'

Chit Sai's wife also expressed her gratitude for her husband's safe return.

With a wide smile on her face, she said: 'I cried until I had almost no tears left, because I was afraid that I would never see my husband again. When news arrived that he was safe, I was so happy that I couldn't speak. Thank you to all the officers and fishing boats that helped find my husband.'

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.