"I never thought I would become a castaway on this island," said Bernaldo, who was born in Santos, Philippine, in Palu, on Thursday.
He described the events leading up to his becoming a castaway, which began when he was fishing in Philippine waters last week and suddenly ran out of fuel.
"I could not do anything because there were no other boats that passed near my position," he recalled.
Bernaldo said the weather on that day was raining with heavy winds that shook his boat.
He felt lucky, though, because the approaching high tide had not capsized his boat and for six days he drifted on the sea.
"I depended on rain water to drink and seaweed to eat," said Bernaldo.
At last, on Wednesday, March 7, local fishermen from Donggala saved him.
When he was found, Bernaldo was weak, so the fishermen brought him to the nearby police station, and officers then sent him to the clinic.
Currently, he is being detained at the Immigration Office of Palu.
"I hope I can return to the Philippines and rejoin my family soon," said Bernaldo.
On the other hand, Head of Administration of Immigration Office of Palu Yusuf Sadu said the Philippines fisherman has been placed in a detention room for further examination.
"We have not yet examined him because he is physically weak," said Sadu.
He added that the evidence, his motor boat, was still in Balaesang Village, Donggala, where he was found by the local fishermen.
"On the boat, there were just fishing equipments and hooks," said Sadu. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
