Meet the Chinese Man Who Survived 133 Days Alone Floating at Sea
loading...
Not only did he kill sharks for food, he also drank their blood to quench his thirst
During World War II, Chinese native Poon Lim and 52 other individuals were onboard a British Ship traveling from Cape Town to Surinam. The Germans, however, intercepted them about 750 miles east of the Amazon. And in two minutes, a pair of torpedoes were launched and sank the ship. Eventually, Poon was the only survivor left. Hence holding the world record for the longest time spent surviving as a castaway at sea.
Poon was basically on a ship named Ben Lemmond. Although it was armed, speed wasn’t one of its strengths. His father sent him to join his brothers on the British passenger freight to work as a cabin boy. Both his father and mom believed that he and his brothers would be drafted to fight against the rapidly-advancing Japanese army.
After his ship was sunk by the German troops, Poon spent 133 days at sea.
As the ship began sinking, Poon immediately grabbed a life jacket and jumped overboard. Had he not done it, he would have been burned by the explosion. Luckily for him, he found a floating eight-foot square wooden raft. It even had a couple of tins full of biscuits and chocolates, a bag of sugar lumps, a flashlight, two smoke pots, flares, and a forty-liter jug of water.
By drinking the water and eating the food, Poon was able to survive while adrift at the sea. He later on restored to fishing and catching rainwater using a canvas (a covering for the life jacket). He was not a good swimmer and so he decided to tie a rope around his wrist.
He took a wire from the flashlight and used it as a fishhook.
Whenever there were sharks, he would wait for the opportunity to catch one of them by using remnants of a bird he killed. Knowing that the sharks had incredible strength, Poon made sure that the braided line he used was doubled in thickness.
When the rain stopped for several days, Poon had no water to drink. He quenched his thirst by drinking the blood of the shark he killed. He first sliced the fin and let them dry in the sun – a food preparation technique used in Hainan delicacy.
Poon also suffered from seasickness, sunburn, and the agony of seeing boats or ships go by. First, a freighter passed but did not offer help. The same thing happened when a US Navy Patrol plane went past. Poon believed that no one offered assistance because he was Chinese. He kept track of the days he spent on the sea by tying knots on a rope.
Many were inspired by his will to survive, including famous public figures.
At long last, after 133 days, Poon and his raft were discovered by three Brazilian fishermen. He lost a whopping 9 kilograms and spent around four weeks in the hospital. To this day, no one has ever broken the record he achieved.
Before his death, Poon said:
“I hope no one will have to break it.”
King George VI bestowed Poon with a British Empire Medal (BEM). The Royal Navy, on the other hand, incorporated his experience into manuals for sea survival techniques. After the war ended, Poon decided to migrate to the United States. Although the quota for Chinese immigrants had been reached, the government gave him an exception because of fame and the help of Senator Warren Magnuson.
Aetna Health Insurance
Aetna Health Insurance Company started its operation since 1850. They are dedicated in helping individuals achieved security in terms of health and financial. Aetna provides its members useful information to help them decide which insurance works for them. They provide insurance for employers around 50 states of America. Aetna's customers are mostly employers, individuals, students, and hourly or part-time workers. Their products and services include medical, dental, vision, disability, pharmacy, life, student, pet and behavioral health.Aetna Health Insurance gives affordable coverage. From their wide range of services available, for sure there is one that's right for you. Aetna will even help you to choose a plan that's best for you. You will get help in accessing whatever care you need. Whatever the situation maybe, you will be assured that Aetna will provide you the help that you need in order to live a healthier life and in getting the most of your health dollars. You can even cover your pet in their Pet Insurance. Like any of your family members, animals also have health needs. It will let you manage your cost in treating your pet's injuries and illnesses. Included in pet insurance policies are lab test, surgery and visit to a licensed veterinarian and specialists.
Aetna Health Insurance has a symbol of AET at NY Stock Exchange. They have over 19 million members for medical, 14 million members for dental and 11 million pharmacy members. At present they have more than 920,000 health care professional, 528,000 doctors and specialist and 5,112 hospitals. They have been recognized worldwide and have been named by Fortune magazine as the Most Admired Company for Health Care. Some other awards they have received are: 2008 CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens, 2008 Health Literacy Awards, first in Payer View Rankings 2008, 2007 Behavioral Health Awards, Corporate Leadership Award, 2006 Innovation Award, 2004 HERA Award and more.
loading...