Image Credit: Associated Press (AP). This is the incredible tale of Mikhail Pichugin, aged 45, who was discovered alive after 67 days when his engine failed during a doomed whale-watching trip on a Russian trawler. Media reports indicate that he was on a rubber dinghy, clutching the bodies of his deceased brother and nephew from the expedition, when he was spotted. In a video shared by East2West Media Group, he is seen wearing an orange life jacket, signalling for help in the darkness and informing the rescuers of his frail state. Mikhail was rescued at night and brought onto the fishing vessel Angel by its crew. Despite losing 50 kg, he is said to be in a stable condition. Initially mistaking the small inflatable boat for debris, the fishing vessel decided to investigate further and discovered Pichugin to their surprise. He was swiftly taken to an emergency care unit at the Magadan hospital, where he is said to be suffering from dehydration and hypothermia but is otherwise stable. Reports suggest that Mikhail, along with his 49-year-old brother and 15-year-old nephew, set out to the remote Shantar Islands, a known whale feeding area off the northwest coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, in early August. They went missing on their return to the city of Okha on the island of Sakhalin on August 9. After the family reported them missing, local authorities initiated a search and rescue mission. Despite a month-long search with no success, the operation was eventually called off, assuming survival was impossible in the stormy conditions. The Russian RIA Novosti news agency reported that the men had provisions for two weeks, warm clothing, life jackets, flares, and around five gallons of water with them. It is believed that engine failure was the cause of their navigation troubles. The specifics of Mikhail's survival in the frigid waters of East Asia remain a mystery."At was fortunate to have survived the storms and avoided the same fate as his brother and nephew. Nevertheless, local media sources have reported that the deaths are under preliminary criminal investigation by the local prosecutor's office. Additionally, Mikhail may be at risk of imprisonment due to Russian law restricting his boat from traveling beyond two nautical miles from the shoreline."