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133 Days at Sea: The Extraordinary Survival of Poon Lim That Shocked the World
On November 23, 1942, the British cargo ship SS Benlomond was sunk by the German submarine U-172 in the Atlantic Ocean. A Chinese steward named Poon Lim found himself floating on an eight-foot-long raft without sufficient water or food. For 133 days, he survived by fishing, catching seabirds, and collecting rainwater. His record as the person who survived the longest on a raft at sea remains unbroken to this day.
On November 23, 1942, the South Atlantic was filled with the tension of war. The SS Benlomond, a British cargo ship loaded with cargo, was sailing alone without escort. Poon Lim, a 24-year-old second-class waiter from Hainan, China, was doing his routine work in the kitchen. Suddenly, a powerful explosion shook the ship. A torpedo from the German U-172 had torn into the ship's hull. Within five minutes, the Benlomond began to sink. Poon managed to grab a life jacket and jumped into the dark sea. As the ship disappeared into the whirlpool, he swam desperately, searching for anything that could save his life.
The Raft as a Floating Prison
After hours of floating, he encountered a round wooden raft, only eight feet long—large enough for a man to lie down. On the raft were minimal supplies: several biscuit tins, about 40 liters of fresh water, some chocolate bars, candies, mineral water bottles, a signal light, and some smoke signals. Poon knew that these supplies would last only a few days, maybe a week. He also realized there were no other ships in the area; the German submarine had long gone. He was truly alone. Waves as high as six meters often hit the raft, forcing him to tie himself constantly with a rope. Without shelter, the sun burned his skin, while the nights brought bone-chilling cold.
Surviving in the Famine
After the supplies ran out—fresh water lasted only two weeks—Poon began relying on survival instincts. He opened the raft planks and found copper nails. With the nails, he bent them into fishhooks. The rope from the life jacket became the fishing line. Bait? He used the entrails of the first seabird he caught with his bare hands. Small fish began biting the bait, and he ate them raw because there was no fire. The fish blood became a valuable source of water, although salty. Sometimes, he caught seabirds that landed on the raft—he broke their necks and drank their blood. When it rained, he used the cloth from the life jacket to collect water. Every drop was a gift.
Shark Attack and Despair
On the 50th day, a two-meter-long shark began circling the raft. Poon knew that if he did not act, the shark would attack. Calmly, he used the rope and nails to make an improvised harpoon. When the shark approached, he stabbed its eyes fiercely. The shark went wild, but eventually died. Poon dragged it onto the raft, cut the meat, and dried it under the sun. The tough shark meat became a food stock for weeks. However, despair still haunted him. Every evening, he looked at the horizon, hoping to see a ship's smoke, but only the sky and the vast ocean remained. On the 100th day, he began losing hope. His body was thin and dry, his legs swollen due to vitamin deficiency, and his gums bled. He started writing a will on the raft board, saying goodbye to his family.
Miracle on the Horizon
On April 5, 1943, the 133rd day, Poon Lim was fishing when he spotted something on the horizon. A seagull flew low, then he saw a small shadow: a boat. Three Brazilian fishermen from Belem, on their way for a regular fishing trip, were shocked to see the old raft. They approached. Poon, barely able to stand, tried to wave. The fishermen pulled him into their boat. They gave him coconut water and cassava. Poon could not speak; he just cried. When he arrived on land, his weight was only 40 kilograms—half of his original weight. Doctors later found that he suffered from vitamin deficiency, skin infections, and psychological trauma, but he was still alive.
An Eternal Legend
Poon Lim was taken to a hospital in Belem, then to London. King George VI awarded him the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his bravery. His record—133 days adrift without help—remains the longest in modern history. Although some claim to have survived longer, there is no concrete evidence like in Poon's case. After the war, he moved to the United States and worked in a restaurant in New York. He rarely spoke about his experience, except to his children. When asked about his secret, he simply said, "I didn't want to die. I had a family." Poon Lim passed away on January 4, 1991, but his story lives on—as proof that human spirit can overcome the sea, hunger, and despair.
133 Days at Sea: The Extraordinary Survival of Poon Lim That Shocked the World. On November 23, 1942, the British cargo ship SS Benlomond was sunk by the German submarine U-172 in the Atlantic Ocean. A Chinese steward named Poon Lim found himself floating on an eight-foot-long raft without sufficient water or food. For 133 days, he survived by fishing, catching seabirds, and collecting rainwater. His record as the person who survived the longest on a raft at sea remains unbroken to this day.. When Hope Sank
On November 23, 1942, the South Atlantic was filled with the tension of war. The SS Benlomond, a British cargo ship loaded with cargo, was sailing alone without escort. Poon Lim, a 24-year-old second-class waiter from Hainan, China, was doing his routine work in the kitchen. Suddenly, a powerful explosion shook the ship. A torpedo from the German U-172 had torn into the ship's hull. Within five minutes, the Benlomond began to sink. Poon managed to grab a life jacket and jumped into the dark sea. As the ship disappeared into the whirlpool, he swam desperately, searching for anything that could save his life.
The Raft as a Floating Prison
After hours of floating, he encountered a round wooden raft, only eight feet long—large enough for a man to lie down. On the raft were minimal supplies: several biscuit tins, about 40 liters of fresh water, some chocolate bars, candies, mineral water bottles, a signal light, and some smoke signals. Poon knew that these supplies would last only a few days, maybe a week. He also realized there were no other ships in the area; the German submarine had long gone. He was truly alone. Waves as high as six meters often hit the raft, forcing him to tie himself constantly with a rope. Without shelter, the sun burned his skin, while the nights brought bone-chilling cold.
Surviving in the Famine
After the supplies ran out—fresh water lasted only two weeks—Poon began relying on survival instincts. He opened the raft planks and found copper nails. With the nails, he bent them into fishhooks. The rope from the life jacket became the fishing line. Bait? He used the entrails of the first seabird he caught with his bare hands. Small fish began biting the bait, and he ate them raw because there was no fire. The fish blood became a valuable source of water, although salty. Sometimes, he caught seabirds that landed on the raft—he broke their necks and drank their blood. When it rained, he used the cloth from the life jacket to collect water. Every drop was a gift.
Shark Attack and Despair
On the 50th day, a two-meter-long shark began circling the raft. Poon knew that if he did not act, the shark would attack. Calmly, he used the rope and nails to make an improvised harpoon. When the shark approached, he stabbed its eyes fiercely. The shark went wild, but eventually died. Poon dragged it onto the raft, cut the meat, and dried it under the sun. The tough shark meat became a food stock for weeks. However, despair still haunted him. Every evening, he looked at the horizon, hoping to see a ship's smoke, but only the sky and the vast ocean remained. On the 100th day, he began losing hope. His body was thin and dry, his legs swollen due to vitamin deficiency, and his gums bled. He started writing a will on the raft board, saying goodbye to his family.
Miracle on the Horizon
On April 5, 1943, the 133rd day, Poon Lim was fishing when he spotted something on the horizon. A seagull flew low, then he saw a small shadow: a boat. Three Brazilian fishermen from Belem, on their way for a regular fishing trip, were shocked to see the old raft. They approached. Poon, barely able to stand, tried to wave. The fishermen pulled him into their boat. They gave him coconut water and cassava. Poon could not speak; he just cried. When he arrived on land, his weight was only 40 kilograms—half of his original weight. Doctors later found that he suffered from vitamin deficiency, skin infections, and psychological trauma, but he was still alive.
An Eternal Legend
Poon Lim was taken to a hospital in Belem, then to London. King George VI awarded him the British Empire Medal BEM for his bravery. His record—133 days adrift without help—remains the longest in modern history. Although some claim to have survived longer, there is no concrete evidence like in Poon's case. After the war, he moved to the United States and worked in a restaurant in New York. He rarely spoke about his experience, except to his children. When asked about his secret, he simply said, "I didn't want to die. I had a family." Poon Lim passed away on January 4, 1991, but his story lives on—as proof that human spirit can overcome the sea, hunger, and despair.
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Reference: Poon Lim — Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poon Lim
