4 Feb 2014

Man who washed up in Marshall Islands after 13 months adrift is from El Salvador

6:53 am on 4 February 2014

A man who says he's been adrift on the Pacific Ocean for thirteen months has told officials he is a shrimp and shark fisherman originally from El Salvador who had been living in Mexico for the past 15 years.

The man, Jose Salvador Albarengo, has attracted worldwide interest after washing up in a 24 foot boat on the remote atoll of Ebon on Thursday.

Our correspondent in Marshall Islands, Giff Johnson, says Mr Albarengo gave information about his family in the United States and El Salvador to officials after arriving by sea patrol vessel in the capital, Majuro, yesterday.

"He didn't look so gaunt. He seemed to be a little bit puffy. This may be circulation issues having been in a boat for a long time. He did walk off the patrol vessel and straight into an ambulance but he had people helping him and he was holding on to the ropes on the gang plank so he's obviously having difficulty walking."

Our correspondent in Marshall Islands, Giff Johnson.