Indonesian Man Survives 46 Days Lost at Sea, Rescued in Japan  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Aldi Novel Adilang (19) shocked the public after he survived and was found alive in Japanese waters after being reported missing for 46 days since July 14, 2018. 

Aldi, who hails from Wori village in North Minahasa regency, was a light keeper for a Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), otherwise known as rumpon. Earlier reports suggested he was washed away by ocean waves on July 14 in the waters of Manado. 

“He was aesthetic when he encountered large ships passing by, however, none of them stopped to help despite 10 recurrences,” the Indonesian Republic Consulate General (KJRI) in Osaka, Japan, wrote to Tempo on Monday, September 24. 

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Aldi was spotted by men aboard the MV Arpeggio. However, they were initially unable to rescue the Manado man because of high tides and fears of crashing into the rumpon Aldi was clinging to. However, in the midst of the harsh winds and high tides, Aldi decided to swim into the ocean to hold onto the rope that was thrown by the MV Arpeggio crew members. 

“The seamen managed to hold onto Aldi’s hands. His condition was very exhausted at the time,” as reported by the Indonesian KJRI in Osaka when Tempo reached for confirmation. 

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As soon as the ship that saved Aldi docked at Tokuyama, Yamaguchi prefecture, Aldi was accompanied by a KJRI staffer that acted as his translator and was medically treated by the Japanese quarantine board. Aldi has returned to Indonesia and is currently at his home in Manado with his family.

SUCI SEKARWATI