In 2014, the story of a castaway fisherman who survived more than a year at sea captivated the world. Jose Alvarenga, a Salvadoran native, washed up on the Pacific atoll after being at sea for 13 months. His tale of survival at sea made him a symbol of human resilience. But unfortunately, Alvarenga’s tale of triumph turned into a wave of legal despair and health problems. About a year after his return, Jose Alvarenga was sued by his former attorney and the family of his traveling companion, Ezequiel Cordoba.
The Aftermath of Survival
Despite his fame for his resilience, Jose Alvarenga had no financial stability and relied on support from family in the United States. His brother-in-law said they sent him money for food and medicine because he could no longer work. After a falling out with his long-time friend and attorney Benedicto Perlera, Perlera represented his crewmate’s family. Cordoba’s family challenged his version of events alleging he had cannibalized Cordoba to survive. For Alvarenga, survival at sea turned into survival on land.
Health Recovery and Outlook
According to Alvarenga, he had survived in a 24-foot boat by eating raw fish, drinking his own urine and rainwater. When he was finally discovered, doctors treated him for dehydration, infections, and emotional trauma. By 2015, relatives said he had improved both physically and mentally. Yet his traumatic experience at sea left him deeply scarred including a phobia of the ocean. However, his fear of the sea eventually subsided, with Alvarenga wishing to pursue fishing again.
Long Separation from Family
Alvarenga had initially left El Salvador to work in Mexico as a shark fisherman. He spent more than a decade away from his relatives before becoming lost at sea for over a year. The 34-foot boat, which he and Ezequiel Cordoba were traveling in, set sail off the coast of Mexico in the fall of 2012. According to UPI Espanol, Alvarenga had hired Cordoba to accompany him on the short fishing trip. But due to a storm, the little boat drifted far into the Pacific, lost communication and eventually supplies, according to Alvarenga. Alvarenga’s family presumed he had died. They only learned of his miraculous survival through international press coverage a year later.
The Death of a Crewmate
While Alvarenga’s survival was nothing short of a miracle, the death of his crewmate, Cordoba remains a tragedy. Alvarenga’s fishing partner, 24-year-old Ezequiel Cordoba, died several weeks into being lost at sea. Cordoba struggled to eat raw fish and birds, becoming weak and eventually succumbing to starvation and thirst.
Alvarenga admitted that he fell into deep despair after his crew mate’s death. Alvarenga later told NBC “I was going to commit suicide, I wanted to kill myself but no. I asked God that he was going to save me” but he pushed on to survive. According to UPI, Alvarenga tossed Cordoba’s body off the side of the boat after his tragic passing. Alvarenga survived 13 months at sea eating only raw fish, any birds that he caught and drinking turtle blood, rainwater and his own urine.
Rescue on the Marshall Islands
On January 30, 2014, Alvarenga washed up ashore on Ebon Atoll in the Marshall Islands. He had traveled over 5,500 miles from where he initially set sail. Villagers found him on the shore, dehydrated, weak, and disoriented. They quickly provided him with food and nursing care until officials could transport him back home to El Salvador. Within two weeks, he returned to his hometown of Garita Palerma. From there, he reconnected with his family, whom he had not seen in years. His mother described it as if her son had been born again.
Tensions with Cordoba’s Family and Attorney
In March of 2014, Alvarenga traveled to meet Cordoba’s family in Mexico to personally explain the tragic events of his companion’s death. However, his visit escalated tensions and caused disputes. Cordoba’s relatives questioned his account and demanded a share of any profits from his story, which was picked up by publishers for a book. The dispute widened when his childhood friend and attorney, Benedicto Perlera, switched sides and began representing them instead.
Legal Battles over His Story
By January 2015, Perlera had filed a $1 million lawsuit against Alvarenga for changing legal representation to a U.S.-based law firm. He accused the fisherman of breaking a contract and claimed Alvarenga’s survival story had substantial commercial value. The case centered on book deals and future documentaries. A U.S.-based lawyer, Jeffrey Masonek, began representing Alvarenga, strengthening his chances of pursuing international publishing opportunities.
Future Plans and Recognition
Experts initially doubted Alvarenga’s account. However, survival specialists, oceanographers, and doctors confirmed its plausibility. He even passed a polygraph test. His case became one of the longest documented accounts of survival at sea. By 2015, a publishing deal was underway with Jonathan Franklin, known for writing on the Chilean miners’ rescue. Although scarred by trauma, Alvarenga hoped to return to fishing, the very profession that nearly claimed his life.
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