In October 2000, three men on a Sea of Cortez fishing trip were stranded on a remote island after their 22-foot skiff went off course and ran aground. With only a few drinks and minimal water, they survived by eating crabs, snails and insects while repeatedly attempting to reach shore. Eleven days into the ordeal, Lorenzo Madrid lost consciousness and died; the other two men were rescued about a day and a half later by commercial divers. Survivors faulted the charter for lacking basic safety equipment such as a radio, flares and lifejackets.
Stranded in the Sea of Cortez: Three Men Survive on Crabs, Insects and Beer — One Dies
GettyBlue Sea of Cortez and beach,
In October 2000, a routine weeklong fishing trip in the Sea of Cortez turned into a harrowing survival story when a 22-foot skiff went off course and ran aground on a remote island off Baja California. Three men — 51-year-old Joseph Rangel, 50-year-old Lorenzo Madrid and 24-year-old guide Jose Luis Ramos Garcia — were left with almost no supplies and only their wits to survive.
The Wreck
The group had joined a larger party aboard a 95-foot vessel to fish for yellowtail, but Rangel and Madrid arranged a separate two-hour side trip in a small skiff. According to Rangel, the skiff’s pilot steered south instead of north for roughly 90 minutes and then encountered heavy winds. The boat ran aground approximately 15 miles from the Baja coast, leaving the men stranded on a nearly deserted stretch of island.
Survival Attempts
With only "three cans of beer, four 15-ounce bottles of water and a Dr. Pepper," the men survived largely by foraging for food: crabs, snails and insects. They tried multiple strategies to reach the mainland. Using driftwood as oars, they attempted to row to shore; when that failed they built a raft from wreckage and pushed toward land, stopping to sleep in caves during a three-day effort. Despite their efforts, they repeatedly found themselves back where they started.
GettySea of Cortez
Tragedy and Rescue
After 11 days on the island, Madrid lost consciousness. Rangel pulled him ashore and found that his friend had died. About a day and a half later, commercial divers in a small boat discovered and rescued Rangel and Ramos. The island’s remote location meant initial search efforts — which covered roughly a 25-mile area — had missed their position.
Aftermath
Rangel lost about 30 pounds during the ordeal and received medical treatment for an ulcer, a bacterial infection and blood clots in his legs. From his hospital bed he criticized the fishing charter for lacking basic safety equipment: the skiff reportedly had no radio, flares or lifejackets. "A simple radio would have taken care of it," he told reporters, arguing that basic emergency gear and procedures might have prevented the tragedy.
San Felipe Port Captain Felipe de Jesus Vallecillo: "What they did to survive was extraordinary. A lot of days went by for them to be without water. They really fought to stay alive."
This incident highlights how quickly a short recreational outing can become life-threatening without proper navigation, adequate safety equipment and emergency planning.
