A Chinese tourist has survived an extraordinary seven-day ordeal at sea after being swept into the ocean by floodwaters and drifting for nearly a week before being rescued by fishermen off the coast of Hainan.
The 39-year-old man, identified as Qin, was visiting Haikou in Hainan when the incident occurred on the night of May 27. While taking a walk near the shoreline, he accidentally fell into a large drainage canal and was carried out to sea by strong currents.
Unable to swim, Qin said he was fortunate to find a floating buoy shortly after entering the water. He spent the first night clinging to the buoy and later discarded personal belongings, including his watch, ring, trousers and shoes, to reduce weight and improve his chances of staying afloat.
Over the following days, he spotted passing boats and ferries in the distance, but despite waving and shouting for help, none appeared to notice him.
Qin said the fourth and fifth days were the most difficult, as exhaustion began to take its toll and he started experiencing hallucinations. To survive, he caught and ate dozens of small raw crabs while drifting at sea.
His ordeal finally came to an end on June 2 when two fishermen from Chengmai County spotted him floating in the water and pulled him aboard their vessel. Authorities were immediately alerted, and emergency personnel were waiting onshore when the boat returned to land.
Doctors later revealed that Qin was severely dehydrated and had suffered extensive sun exposure after days under the scorching sun. Prolonged contact with seawater also caused skin damage, infections and open wounds in several areas of his body.
Medical staff said he was initially admitted to the intensive care unit due to his condition. However, his health has since improved, and he has been transferred to a general ward where he remains in stable condition.
Doctors described his survival as remarkable, noting that despite the severe dehydration and infection risks, he did not suffer major organ failure.
