A police officer from the islands of Kiribati has shared an incredible story of his survival after undergoing lengthy treatment for dehydration and exhaustion at the Majuro hospital in the Marshall Islands. His account is astonishing: he was saved not only by a tropical downpour that provided him with water — but also by an unexpected intervention from a shark.
Interestingly, shortly before the incident, Toakai Teitoi had watched a documentary about four Kiribati fishermen who had gone missing at sea. Only two of them survived, washing up in American Samoa after six weeks. Perhaps, that film was a foreshadowing of his own fate.
Toakai, who was 41, and his 52-year-old relative Ielu Falaili set off in a motorboat, planning a short fishing trip and expecting to return in a couple of days. They departed from Maiana Atoll, located in the northern part of the Gilbert Islands. Everything was going according to plan until they fell asleep after fishing — and upon waking, realized land had vanished from sight. They were completely lost. To make matters worse, the fuel tank was empty.
“We had enough food, and we could catch fish — but the drinking water ran out quickly,” Toakai recalls. Thirst became the real trial. After five weeks adrift, Ielu died from dehydration. Toakai was left alone in the boat, surrounded by nothing but the endless sea.
The next day, a storm rolled in, bringing with it heavy rain that lasted for several days. Toakai managed to collect two full 19-liter containers of rainwater. This became his lifeline. Under the relentless sun, with temperatures soaring above 36°C (97°F), survival without water was possible only for a few days.
“At one point, I had two options — either someone would find me, or I’d follow Ielu,” he admits. “The water was running out again, and I was starting to lose control of what was happening.”
His boat had drifted far from any shipping routes, in a zone where there were neither fishing vessels nor commercial ships. He prayed every day, survived on raw fish he caught, and drank rainwater. Weeks passed. One day, he spotted a fishing boat in the distance, but despite his desperate attempts to wave and call out, the crew didn’t notice him. Still, he didn’t lose hope.
And then — a scene straight out of a movie. Toakai recalls:
“I was hiding from the sun under a piece of fabric stretched over the front of the boat. In my sleep, I felt a powerful jolt against the side, like something was scraping the hull. I woke up suddenly — right in front of me swam a huge shark, about 1.8 meters long. It kept brushing against the boat, as if trying to tell me something.”
It’s known that sharks can communicate with each other using body language and movements — but for humans, this form of communication remains a mystery.
“I looked toward the horizon and saw a ship. Its stern was quite close. I could see crew members with binoculars. They were clearly watching me. I started waving my arms as hard as I could — and they noticed me, came closer, and rescued me,” Toakai said.
Why the shark behaved the way it did remains a mystery. But Toakai is certain: without its appearance, he might not have woken up in time. “If it hadn’t woken me, the crew might’ve thought I was just napping and passed me by,” he said.
Before returning to his homeland, Toakai made a vow: “I’m going home. But I’ll never go back out to sea again. Never.”
What do you think? Did the shark really save his life — or was it just an incredible coincidence? Share your thoughts in the comments — we’d love to hear what you think.
