Two fishermen survive five days at sea inside giant cooler 

Two Mexican fishermen have been rescued after spending five days stranded in the Pacific Ocean, eventually being found alive inside a large fishing cooler around 150 miles off the coast.

Aged 53 and 32, the two men were located by the Mexican Navy on 19 August 2026 after an extensive search involving naval vessels and aircraft. They had reportedly been without food or water throughout the ordeal.

The search began on 14 August 2026 after contact with them was lost and a distress call was made. Rescuers eventually spotted the pair floating in a large turquoise fishing cooler approximately 150 miles off the coast of Chiapas, in southern Mexico.

Footage released by the Mexican Navy shows the cooler drifting in heavy ocean swells before a naval vessel reached the men, who were both airlifted to safety.

After medical treatment, they were reunited with their families. The authorities have not identified what went wrong with the vessel.

In a video released by the Mexican Navy, one of the men said after not eating or drinking anything for five days, “it was the hardest thing imaginable.”