The health of the Salvadoran castaway rescued last Jan. 29 after surviving 13 months at sea has deteriorated after getting better in recent days, medical authorities reported.
José Salvador Alvarenga, rescued last week when he arrived at the Marshall Islands and who claims to have survived 13 months at sea, had to be interned once more on Thursday to be fed intravenously, according to CNN.
The Mexican Embassy in Manila told the media that the Salvadoran, who lived in southern Mexico, had severe dehydration and low levels of vitamins and minerals.
Since he was rescued on Jan. 29 on the Marshall Islands, the Salvadoran has been constantly followed by TV cameras, always smiling and in relative good health. However, in the last video he could be seen on, Alvarenga has short hair, he's much more sullen and has problems walking.
Cristiano Arcilla Mendoza, from Mexico's Embassy in Manila, who is organizing his repatriation, told the AFP that doctors have pointed out that these types of relapses in survivors of being stranded at sea for a long time are common, and the Salvadoran's health is expected to improve in upcoming days.
On the other hand, doubts about how he was able to survive in the ocean for 13 months seem to be far from over; however, until now everything seems to indicate the castaway's story is true.
According to the AFP, authorities seem to have confirmed Alvarenga's statements, and have no reason to believe he might be lying.
"So far, what he's told us is true. He gave us his name, José Salvador Alvarenga, and that is true. He put us in touch with his family in El Salvador... and corroborated his story," said Arcilla Mendoza.
"We're now trying to contact the person that he said is the boss of his fishermen cooperative in Mexico to get his version of the facts, but so far what he's said fits the truth."
According to Alvarenga's testimony, he and another man ended up stranded deep at sea on September 2012, and the boat was reported as missing on December, 2012.
If his story is true, Alvarenga travelled around the Pacific for around 10,800 KM before landing on the Marshall Islands.
Video via AFP
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