A Filipino seaman fought for his life for four hours in the waters of Port Everglades in Florida, USA after falling off the cargo ship he was working in.
Loreto Miles Moscoso III said he fell off the cargo ship named Vega Sagittarius while unlashing some cargo containers. What made the matter worse is that no one saw the accident.
“As I fell, I tried to hold on to a short bar attached to the buckle but I fell with my right back, hitting something hard before splashed into the water. I immediately swam away from the ship thinking that I would be sucked by the propeller. I shouted “Man over board” many times but nobody heard me,” the Filipino narrated his ordeal in his alma mater’s page.
Moscoso continued to call for help as their ship sailed away. “The thing that hurt me the most was seeing our vessel sailing away from me, that no one from there even knew that I fell.
At that moment, he said, he couldn’t contain his tears and wanted to give up. Left with no choice, Moscoso had to stay afloat and relied on his faith that he would be saved.
While swimming, Moscoso also encountered a shark, which circled around him twice. “I saw one huge shark that was twice bigger than I am and it got me scared. But I didn’t lose hope and continued to swim afloat to survive,” Moscoso said.
He only saw a glimmer of hope after catching a sight of buildings from afar. He swam toward that direction and passed by a couple of boats and yachts.
After hours for hours at sea, the Filipino was finally rescued by the US Coast Guard.
“I couldn’t imagine what happened to me. What amazed me the most was that the Coast Guard told me that I swam about 4 miles,” he said.
Moscoso was immediately rushed to the hospital to receive treatment for his fractured spinal cord. “Accidents happen at unexpected times. Pray and have faith in the Lord and believe in yourself. Never give up,” he said.
