Mexicans touch land after 9 months lost at sea

(L-R) Mexican fishermen Jesus Vidana Lopez, 27, Salvador Ordonez, 37 holding his Bible, and Lucio Rendon, 27, sit on their boat upon arriving in Majuro yesterday, while Koo's 102 captain Ching-sheng Tien (C-back) looks on. The three Mexican fishermen were rescued after drifting more than 8,000km across the Pacific Ocean and stood on land for the first time in nearly 10 months. PHOTO: AFP

The three men walked off the Taiwanese tuna trawler that found them two weeks ago floating in their 25-foot (8-meter) fiberglass boat about 5,000 miles from their departure point, the Mexican Pacific coastal town of San Blas.

Their bare feet were swollen, but otherwise the men appeared in good health.

The men, who said they set off on a fishing trip in November and lost their way when they ran out of gasoline, reached the Marshall Island capital of Majuro on Tuesday, which was Monday in Mexico.

They smiled and waved and one man shouted "Hello Mexico," to Mexican journalists as the trawler got close to the islands.

The Mexicans stayed alive by eating raw birds and fish and drinking rain water. They said two other men died of starvation during the trip and were thrown overboard.