Image Credit: Associated Press (AP) This is the remarkable tale of Mikhail Pichugin, aged 45, who was discovered alive after 67 days following the failure of his engine during a doomed whale-watching venture on a Russian trawler. Reports from local media indicate that Mikhail was found on a rubber dinghy, grasping onto the bodies of his deceased brother and nephew from the ill-fated journey. In a video shared by East2West Media Group, he can be seen donning an orange life vest, signaling for help in the darkness while expressing his weakened state to the rescuers. The fishing vessel Angel's crew then rescued him during the night. Despite a weight loss of 50 kg, he is said to be in a stable condition.

Initially mistaking the small inflatable boat as debris, the fishing vessel decided to investigate further and was astonished to discover Pichugin. He was immediately taken to an emergency care unit at Magadan hospital. While suffering from dehydration and hypothermia, his condition is reportedly stable.

Mikhail, alongside his 49-year-old brother and 15-year-old nephew, set out for the remote Shantar Islands, famous for whale feeding grounds, off the northwest coast of the Sea of Okhotsk in early August. On their return journey to the city of Okha on Sakhalin Island on August 9, they went missing. After the family raised concerns, local authorities initiated a search and rescue operation. Following an unsuccessful month-long search, which was eventually halted due to presumed inability to survive the severe storms, Mikhail's miraculous survival brought light to the somber situation.

Reports suggest that the men carried provisions to last two weeks, warm clothing, life jackets, flares, and approximately five gallons of water for their journey. The failure of their engine is believed to have led to their navigational troubles at sea.

The exact details of Mikhail's survival in the frigid waters of East Asia, and the factors contributing to the failure of the boFortunately, At survived the storms while his brother and nephew tragically perished. Local media sources have reported that the local prosecutor's office has initiated a preliminary criminal inquiry into the deaths. Additionally, Mikhail could be at risk of imprisonment due to a Russian law that restricts his boat from venturing more than two nautical miles away from the coastline.