A man who was lost at sea three months ago has been found adrift on his sailboat.
Richard Van Pham kept himself alive by catching fish, seabirds and turtles for food.
The Californian was found off the coast of Costa Rica by San Diego-based warship McClusky and has now been handed over to US officials in Guatemala.
"He's a tough old bird," Cmdr. Gary Parriott, the McClusky's skipper, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I'm not sure I would have fared as well as he did."
Despite losing about 18 kilograms and being heavily suntanned, Van Pham was in good condition when found.
Van Pham was dropped off in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, when the frigate stopped for a port visit. The McClusky's crew collected about $800 to pay for his plane trip home.
Van Pham apparently set sail from Long Beach for a short cruise in his 26-foot sailboat, Sea Breeze. On his way to Catalina, a storm broke his mast. His outboard motor and two-way radio also failed.
He was spotted 275 miles southwest of Costa Rica. When the McClusky neared, they saw a man cooking a sea gull on a makeshift grill. A jury-rigged sail flapped from a splintered mast.
The ship's corpsman, Petty Officer 1st Class AJ Davis, said Van Pham described bashing sea turtles with a bat as they swam near his boat and then cooking part of the meat while using the remainder as bait for seabirds.
PA