Castaway sued for eating crewmate

[+OverSword]

From the article:

A fisherman who miraculously survived 438 days lost at sea has been sued for $1 million for allegedly eating his fellow castaway to ensure his own survival, the family of the deceased castaway contends, according to The Telegraph and other media outlets.

After drifting 6,700 miles, Salvador Alvarenga, 36, of El Salvador washed ashore in January 2014 on the Marshall Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after setting off on a two-day fishing trip from Mexico in November 2012. It was the longest any castaway had survived at sea.

Alvarenga had paid 22-year-old Ezequiel Cordoba $50 to accompany him.

Read the rest here

[freetoroam]

438 days is pretty long time to be on the missing list = wonder what steps the family of Cordoba took to find him, what search and rescue missions were sent to look for him?

They knew they were in trouble as they radioed to be rescued:

Mr Alvarenga, a hard-living, tough professional from El Salvador, radioed the boat’s owner and demanded to be rescued. His last words to land were: “Come now, I am really getting ------ out here.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/elsalvador/12051856/Worlds-longest-surviving-castaway-sued-for-1-million-after-being-accused-of-eating-his-colleague.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Seems all very strange, but he got a book out of it, although he was sued for $1 million by his ex lawyer, now another sueing for $I million by the deceased family...although there is no proof that he ate his companion, and considering the circumstances I find it pretty low for the family to be trying to get money out of it.

It is odd that a vicious storm with 10ft waves knocked out the 25ft boat’s communication systems and yet he was still able to radio the boats owner asking for help = what sort of S&R was actually done? if at all?

[BrooklynGuy]

Something smells fishy here

[BiffSplitkins]

It's always about the money.

I honestly believe that he didn't eat Mr. Cordoba, but if he was a castaway with Ginger and Mary Ann... that probably would have been an entirely different story.

[moon tide]

Incredible story of endurance and survival, though, Mr. Alvarenga doesn't appear to have lost any weight at all! Now, how can this be?

[Electric Scooter]

438 days is pretty long time to be on the missing list = wonder what steps the family of Cordoba took to find him, what search and rescue missions were sent to look for him?

They knew they were in trouble as they radioed to be rescued:

Mr Alvarenga, a hard-living, tough professional from El Salvador, radioed the boat’s owner and demanded to be rescued. His last words to land were: “Come now, I am really getting ------ out here.”

http://www.telegraph...source=Facebook

Seems all very strange, but he got a book out of it, although he was sued for $1 million by his ex lawyer, now another sueing for $I million by the deceased family...although there is no proof that he ate his companion, and considering the circumstances I find it pretty low for the family to be trying to get money out of it.

It is odd that a vicious storm with 10ft waves knocked out the 25ft boat’s communication systems and yet he was still able to radio the boats owner asking for help = what sort of S&R was actually done? if at all?

I don't believe that someone can survive that long at sea. What did he do in summer when it went for weeks at a time without rain? That's before we get to malnutrition. Where's his source of vitamin C? Of enough calories to keep himself going?

I family have probably talked to him and realised he's lying. But they think he is hiding cannibalism. I suggest he is lying about the whole thing.

[TheGreatBeliever]

I really can't imagine eating another human. Am not joking I rather force feed myself with plants or even just die

[Chibadiba]

However disgusting and wrong cannibalism is, if you had nothing else to eat and would die from starvation and the person is already dead then I'd say it's okay as it would be the only way you could survive. Killing someone then eating him/her to survive is something to sue over and even the death penalty if convicted.

[Myles]

Suing this guy is uncalled for.

[Farmer77]

Once a body is dead its just a pile of meat and bones. Hell if they were American I would say the family should pay the survivor for saving them funeral costs.

[Summerin1905]

i don't think you can sue because i don't think criminal laws are put to action in the ocean. Plus honestly in this situation even if he did do cannibalism, well a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

[CrimsonKing]

Once a body is dead its just a pile of meat and bones. Hell if they were American I would say the family should pay the survivor for saving them funeral costs.

Yeah and as the old saying goes posession is 9/10'ths of the law...

[pallidin]

Even if the original story is true I somewhat doubt the cannibalism claim.

I believe, without knowledge, that he gave his dead friend a "sea burial" as best he could.

Just for a moment presuming it is true that he did eat his dead friend, well, under those circumstances I feel nothing is wrong, though I could not handle that at all, and would likely puke-out.

If he killed his friend for survival than that's just wrong, but I seriously doubt that happened.

Who knows! I wasn't there, no-one but them were there in a really bad situation (if it is to be believed)

[Silver Surfer]

Edited December 20, 2015 by Silver Surfer

[Dr.Brian]

Something smells fishy here

I agree although there is more and more information being released: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2555327/EXCLUSIVE-Castaway-spent-FIVE-DAYS-shipmates-rotting-corpse-wanted-proper-burial-eventually-toss-body-overboard-putrid-smell.html

[Likely Guy]

I agree although there is more and more information being released: http://www.dailymail...trid-smell.html

That link is almost two years old.

[Electric Scooter]

i don't think you can sue because i don't think criminal laws are put to action in the ocean. Plus honestly in this situation even if he did do cannibalism, well a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

Situational murder (killing someone at see to eat or drink their blood due to starvation or thirst) is a criminal offence but one which usually gets a pardon.

[Myles]

Situational murder (killing someone at see to eat or drink their blood due to starvation or thirst) is a criminal offence but one which usually gets a pardon.

Are they saying that he killed him in order to eat him? I assumed he was accused of eating him after he died.