Three fishermen from Chiapas spent 27 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean and survived to tell the tale.

Brothers Jorge Trinidad, 28, and Mauricio Trinidad, 30 and Marco Alfaro, 50, from Puerto Madero, Chiapas, left firm ground on August 10 but strong winds dragged them out to sea.

The three called for help by radio and the boat’s owner agreed to send a rescue boat, only for that assistance to be hampered by unfavorable weather conditions, the newspaper Milenio reported, although it remains unclear why they were unable to return to shore under their own power.

The fishermen lost contact with the owner and ran out of fuel. To survive, they caught and ate fish, and drank rainwater and the blood of two turtles they managed to capture.

On day 27, the trio saw a large rock and rowed toward it, subsequently landing on solid ground and finding help. They discovered they had drifted about 450 kilometers northwest, having landed near Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.

When they arrived home in Puerto Madero, they were greeted with hugs and tears of joy. They received medical attention for burns and dehydration, but were reported to be in stable condition.

Brothers Jorge and Mauricio said their fishing days were over after having suffered a lot from the experience, during which they thought they wouldn’t make it back alive. They plan to return to their old job as palaperos, thatching roofs from palm leaves.

But the third man said he would return to fishing after a month’s break. He has been a fisherman his whole life, he added, and fishing was the only way for him to support his family.

With reports from Milenio