Australian man and his dog rescued by Mexican boat after drifting 3 months in Pacific Ocean

MANZANILLO, Mexico (AP) — An Australian sailor who had been adrift at sea with his dog for three months has been rescued by a Mexican tuna boat in international waters, the fishing vessel's owner said Monday.

Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, was aboard his incapacitated catamaran Aloha Toa in the Pacific about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometres) from land when the crew of the boat from the Grupomar fleet spotted them, the company said in a statement.

The company said Shaddock and his dog Bella were in a “precarious” state when found, lacking provisions and shelter.

The tuna boat's crew gave them medical attention, food, and hydration, it said.

Grupomar did not provide specific details on what day Shaddock was rescued or when he had started his voyage.

The tuna boat, captained by Oscar Meza Oregón, was expected to arrive in the Pacific coast port of Manzanillo on Tuesday with Shaddock and Bella.

Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez, Grupomar's founder and president, said he was proud of his crew, praising them for their humanity in saving the life of someone in trouble.

Shaddock told Australia's Nine News television that he and his dog had survived on raw fish and rainwater after a storm damaged his vessel and wiped out its electronics.

“I've been through a very difficult ordeal at sea and I'm just needing rest and good food because I've been alone at sea a long time,” a thin and bearded Shaddock said in a video broadcast by Nine on Sunday night Australian time.

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