438 Days

One man's incredible story of survival against all odds

By: Jonathan Franklin

Narrated by: George Newbern

The incredible true survival story of fisherman Salvador Alvarenga – and his record-breaking fourteen months lost at sea.

On 17th November, 2012, Salvador Alvarenga left the coast of Mexico for a two-day fishing trip. A vicious storm killed his engine and the current dragged his boat out to sea. The storm picked up and carried him West, deeper into the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Alvarenga would not touch solid ground again for fourteen months.

When he was washed ashore on January 30th, 2014, he had drifted over 9,000 miles.

Not one ship stopped for him. He considered suicide on multiple occasions – including offering himself up to a pack of circling sharks. But Alvarenga developed a method of survival that kept his body and mind intact long enough for the Pacific Ocean to spit him up onto a remote palm-studded island.

Based on extensive interviews with Alvarenga, his colleagues, search and rescue officials, and the people who saved his life, 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin is an epic, inspirational tale of survival – and one man's incredible story of beating the ultimate odds.

For readers of Touching the Void and In the Heart of the Sea.

'A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas' – Kirkus Reviews

Critic reviews

A fascinating, action-packed account of long-term survival on the open seas

Inspiring

The fact that he survived against all odds when he shouldn’t have, in a boat with no shelter, sail or cabin. Not much tools or fishing line and still managed to hit the Ebon atoll in the middle of the sea, makes your life problems seems so small in comparison. He never gave up the will to live and he survived

Survival is a mindset

Amazing story. The mindset is the most important thing in life. it helps you get over the greatest problems.