In May 2013, Nigerian cook Harrison Okene was sitting on the toilet when his tugboat capsized in a freak wave, trapping him 30 meters underwater in complete darkness. While his 11 crewmates drowned, Harrison found himself in a tiny air pocket, listening to their final screams before silence fell. For 60 hours, he survived on a can of Coke and sardines, fighting off crayfish that fed on his body, praying and singing hymns while the freezing water slowly rose around him. When South African divers finally found him during what they thought was a body recovery mission, they couldn't believe he was alive - making Harrison one of the most miraculous survival stories ever recorded.
We give you Just The Gist, but if you want more, there's this:
The Guardian's original report - "Nigerian sailor 'a phenomenon' for surviving in air pocket for 60 hours" (2013)
The Guardian's 10-year follow-up - "I survived three days in a capsized boat on the ocean floor – praying in my air bubble" (2023)
Rescue footage on YouTube - Harrison Okene: Moment divers find man alive in sunken ship
Harrison's interview - Man Rescued From Sunken Boat Talks About Ordeal
Harrison's Instagram - Follow Harrison's current life as a professional diver
Jascon-4 incident Wikipedia page - Complete details of the tugboat disaster
BBC News coverage - "Nigerian cook 'survived 60 hours' in sunken ship air bubble" (2013)
CNN interview transcript - Harrison Okene on Larry King Live (2013)
National Geographic feature - "How One Man Survived 60 Hours Trapped Underwater" (2013)
Just The Gist is a Just The Network production. Executive Produced and hosted by Rosie Waterland. Produced and edited by James Joseph. Additional production support by Kate Leaver and Hayley Staveley, along with Acast legends Guy Scott Wilson and Simon McDermott. Production Assistant: Pocket
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