Cook Islands fisherman survives week lost at sea after storm ordeal

Apiuta Apiuta, a fisherman from the Cook Islands' Pukapuka island, has recounted his harrowing week lost at sea. He was twice thrown from his dinghy during relentless storms and violent seas before being rescued by a Taiwanese fishing vessel.

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I was catching a few fish until I had around six or seven fish in my boat, I thought, I'd catch another one.

Apiuta had set out to catch fish for his community but forgot essential items like a torch and lifejacket. His dinghy's outboard motor failed, leaving him drifting away from the island despite efforts to row ashore. He had limited supplies: about three liters of water, a pocket knife, pliers, and a bucket.

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It was getting darker, the sunset [had] already dropped.

The storm lasted four days, battering his small boat. Rain provided drinking water, but the cold was constant. He survived by eating one of the fish he had caught earlier. During his ordeal, a bird he identified as a tākapu landed on his boat, which he saw as a good omen.

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I could see that the men on the island were looking for me, I could see them with their lights. I didn't take a torch with me.

On his seventh day adrift, an RNZAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft spotted him, leading to his rescue. Apiuta is now recovering and visiting relatives in Auckland before returning to the Cook Islands.

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The sea was rough - really rough - and the wind, very strong. Waves were breaking into the boat.