Left for Dead in the South Pacific | Tokelau Teens Sea Survival on a Tiny Boat
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- Three teen boys, from the Tokelau Islands, a New Zealand-administered territory in the South Pacific, had been given up for dead after an unsuccessful search. In October 2010, 3 Teens from Tokelau would find out how dangerous and remote these waters can be. Etueni Nasau, 14, Samu Pelesa, 15, and Filo Filo, 15, drifted 1,300 kilometers across an empty, and little-traveled section of the Pacific Ocean. They ran out of fuel for their outboard and began drifting out to sea. Day after day, the teens sat helpless in the open craft under a beating tropical sun, scouring the horizon for signs of land or a passing boat. The search and rescue was called off and the boys were presumed dead. On many nights, rainstorms churned the sea and lashed the boat. The boys threw themselves to the bottom of the boat, clutching the sides and trying to keep it from capsizing. Though terrifying, the storms also brought a lifeline: puddles of rainwater for them to sip. This was just the beginning of a nightmarish ordeal stranded on the open sea in the South Pacific.
0:00 Introduction
0:27 Atafu, Tokelau
1:08 Tokelau Teens Sea Survial Story
18:27 Resuce and Aftermath
20:59 Conclusion/Survival Tips
Comments, feedback, suggestions, etc, email OD at outdoordisasters360@gmail.com
Much of the script for this video was a dramatic re-reading of this article:
www.gq.com/story/tokelau-teen...
If you haven't yet, please subscribe by clicking here: / @outdoordisasters
Music by Scott Buckley "Omega"
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One of my kindergarten students is the grandson of the boat Captain who rescued the boys. He is from San Diego. The grandma brought all the photos and the story to share with the class. The first thing the boys wanted were hamburgers! ❤
No good story starts with the words _"jug of vodka."_ These kids were _incredibly_ lucky... I suspect if they were in any other type of small craft they would have overturned & died in the first storm, that's a remarkably stable boat. And that tarp saved their lives... _so_ lucky they grabbed it in their drunken state. Teens, isolation & alcohol is never a good mix.
Thanks for sharing these little-known stories... we humans learn our most important life lessons through storytelling! 👍
I can tell you from personal experience, you are correct!
Yep. Hold my beer.
They made every mistake yet are alive to tell the tale. The sea showed them mercy, and kept them in her embrace.
Countless thousands of proficient seamen have drowned through no fault of their own. These boys should bow down and pray to the Ocean every day of their lives. But they won't; that's the human condition.
Thank you for their story, Mr Disasters.
I couldn't had said it better
Beautiful and so true comment. The sea kept them alive and they should be grateful.
Thank God not ocean
The one lesson I've drawn from this channel is that for all its beauty and splendor, the wilderness can be a cruel teacher.
Except to the stupidest among us. To them, it shows mercy.
This story is wild and this channel is my new favorite. The narrator's voice is great.
19:11 - As a paramedic, I'm just impressed that they hit a vein for the IV with the extreme dehydration they were experiencing!
Some of us are blessed with twizzler sized veins 😅
I watch many of videos on survival and the human condition and I have to say that this was one of the best and it had a positive ending 😊 God bless the boys and their families.
As a Ocean Sailor , i can tell you that it is Very Hard to see Another Boat , The Smaller it is the more invisible it is .
Incredible story, your attention to detail, format and perfect narration is second to none. It is only a matter of time before this channel blows up. Thank you for each video you make.
I always appreciate your kind words Trevor
Having been sick myself for weeks listening to this lengthy fight for survival has me crying for all the suffering they endured. I recognize the near death stare from my own times of lengthy illness
I hope you get better. Thank you for your comment. If these vids can provide any relief for you, I'm very happy that I can help.
The sea can have an abundance of food; it's not like the desert in that regard. Can't blame 3 teenagers for wanting to escape such a tiny place, it must have been suffocating. It's just the unfortunate way they went about it was nearly the death of them. I'm glad they've all found somewhere more expansive and diverse to settle.
So true.
That is very true what you say, but I think the point is (this is just my own interpretation mind you!) , if you do not have means or knowledge on how to fish in that instance, it might as well be like the desert ya know? Technically the dessert has lizards, snakes, cati and plenty of stuff you could attempt to eat if you can get your hands on it, the question is, can you get your hands on it? I'll be the first to admit I am a home body and if I was at sea I doubt I'd be able to catch a fish in the open ocean like that! Praised be for Outdoor Disasters giving us the tips in case it happens though haha!
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Definitely not gonna judge these kids. Did the same dumb things at that age. Fortutenly, I wasn't stuck on a small island or I too probably would've take a boat. Regardless, these kids will to survive was unprecedented, being lost at sea for weeks with only eating barnacles, some fish, rainwater, a seagull, and...seawater. I really can't understand how these kids survived, but they did.
Thank you all for you for watching. This channel is growing way beyond my expectations. For more OD content, check out the playlist with all OD vids: czcams.com/video/8n1uFufWZHM/video.html
These 15 yr olds looks like they could have 3 kids and a mortgage.
It’s a small miracle my siblings and I all survived into adulthood…so I definitely can’t judge these kids too much.
🙄
@@TG-fq6vyyou a full grown *#%* sucker
Same here 😆 🤣 🤣 I'm surprised we made it to 17 😆 🤣 🤣 🤣
First of all, this channel is so awesome, I’m glad I randomly stumbled across it. After watching the Taiwan Climber, German family dying in Death Valley and now this one, I had to subscribe ✅ the way you tell stories is so unique and very engaging! And second, I cannot imagine how and if they would’ve survived without those coconuts. Truly miraculous that they survived and live to share this story! I’m glad they got to move away from the small island and hope they are living well now.
Thank you so much! Glad you're here!
I love these stories and your delivery of them please keep up the good work
I can almost understand why they felt they needed to escape from that tiny island. People often romanticize living on a small island but that place looked like a island prison. When I was 13 I took a very small bait with a six horse engine across the Long Island Sound with my best friend. We were very fortunate not to have overturned the boat as we went way to close to something they call the race. The waves and current really picked up. We never told our parents where we were going. We motored from Ct. to NY and back. It was mostly fun. Except the part of entering the race. Another great story and it’s nice to hear that got off that island in the end. I am sure the place is loaded with alcoholic and depressed people. God the boredom. Take care
Definitely. I think believe Atafu is not some primitive island. It's very developed with internet. So I'm sure seeing what people are doing on the mainlands drove them crazy.
Call me naive but if they didn't like it couldn't they just leave? Obviously it would take a while to save up for travel expenses but they could certainly do it.
@@christinewatson1989 True but the teenage mind is not always thinking clear and I am sure alcohol played a roll in this too.
the race you mean between fishers island and watch hill? can get nasty thats for sure
@@ct1762 You are correct. Things young kids do. Take care
Finally CZcams put me on track with a FANTASTIC channel.
Glad to have ya!
Well I can honestly say, I did my fair share of dumb things in my youth, so my only thought on this one is thank God they are okay. Knowing that lessons were learned and they are still here to talk about is good enough for me! BTW, I absolutely love this channel and eagerly await for that notification of a new video!! Thank You, I love the way you present, and narrate these stories. 🤗💖🌹
You're the best and your kind words are always appreciated!
@@outdoordisasters 💋🤗💖🌹
"Hey guys! Remember that time we got completely wasted and took Samu's uncle's boat for a joy ride, then we all totally passed out and endured a months-long survival ordeal that brought us within inches of death's door? Good times - Good times."
Yep, southern California drunk/high youths drive down into Mexico. Oh good times indeed, so happy to be alive.
I wonder if they still keep in touch with each other? I can't imagine not speaking to someone again after enduring such an ordeal together.
@@peggedyourdad95602 migrated w/ their fambto Australia, 1 to Hawaii u
Wow, what a gripping story. I've never heard this one before. Good work.
Thank you Khadijah!
Adventures Gone Wrong is another good channel. The lady who reads the stories is absolutely wonderful telling these stories. The nice thing is you can Google so you know the story is true.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite channels!
I truly appreciate it!
15 years old?! Damn, people age like a mo fo out there!❤
I know they look like they're in their late 20s n 30s...sun ain't no joke!
Ok I’m glad I seen this lol I was like 15!?!?! 😮
Sun damage ages skin fast. Its why while folk age so fast, they have the least naturally built in sun protection aka low melanin/natural sunblock.
Vodka and unfiltered Marlboros will do that to a person.
@@micheles.2151 I'm almost 40 and I smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish and people always think I'm in my early 20's😹
Incredible story!
I love your channel! I love at the end of every story you give so many tips to help you survive in the situation. ❤️ Keep up your hard work! Thank you!
I just found this channel the other day I’ve nearly watched all the videos lol. They are very well done had me at the edge of my couch! 👏
Thank you so much!
@@vincevincent6984 So happy you did! More videos coming!
Agreed!
@@latigo3332 🙏
Hey, I have literally just come across your podcast today and I have to say it has already become one of my favourite, the stories you cover a truly fascinating. I admire the wonderful way you tell the stories on behalf of the victims and survivors.. please continue with your channel, I’m your number one Superfan from Australia💛💛💛
I love your way of telling stories, this one made me cry. Thank you. I’m hooked ❤
This is by far my favorite happy ending in this kind of story! Thank you!
God protected these boys the whole way praise Jesus ❤
Wonderful stories and story telling
Thanks again for another fasinating and well read story. Bless those boys and thier families. I hope that they are happy and now doing well. ❤🙏
Filo is now a gang member of the OC in Australia, and Samu is also in Australia, Etueni came back to Atafu multiple times... They are all acting like it never happened but i'm sure they will never forget... Thank you lord for protecting those fakatigapiho 🤣💙
Really??? You have inside info? From what I read about Filo, seems like that shouldn't be too much of a surprise.
Narration puts this channel over the top. Instant subscriber. Makes it real . . . #nocomputervoice . . . Other channels will probs hire this person to read for them.
Thank you sir!! Really appreciate your support.
I really love your videos and narration, so thank you so much for making them! I just wish you would tone down the background music a little as it is a bit intrusive ❤
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback. I've tone the music down a lot since my early uploads. I even put up a poll about it. The majority, about 75% like the music. But the majority of them just wanted me to turn it down and I obliged. I understand some may not like the music, but unfortunately, it's impossible satisfy everyone. And to me personally, I find videos with just narration boring. I just ask for you to appreciate that the music is apart of the experience of Outdoor Disasters!
Thank God Almighty for their rescue. Praise the Lord!
He joked about sawing a boat a couple of times and the others didn't found it funny, that made me laugh big 😂😂😂
All your videos are excellent. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much! Much appreicated!
This is genuinely one of the silliest disasters
This made me laugh
Great story.. nice work!
Oh my Lord, this has to be one of the most harrowing stories I’ve heard of what people had to suffer through, but that they actually survived. I have no idea how they made it for so long., the strength and wheel of the human spirit to survive is truly amazing. I can’t imagine the amount of suffering and hopelessness and fear of the whole situation that they suffer through every day., I am so glad to hear they were rescued and survived. I can’t help but feel sorry for the people who have to live on such a remote and tiny bit of land.. how on earth do they have vodka and cigarettes of all things on such a remote island???? Like how the hell do you say make money to be able to buy a boat and have petrol for etc?, That to me is just as baffling as the whole story of how these boys survived.. it would truly be horrendous to live a life on such a tiny bit of land that is so remote and literally offers nothing in the way of a for fooling and happy lifestyle. I’m sure these boys and their family will have a bright and happy future now that they have left that tiny little island.💛💛💛
With sea level rise it won’t be long before everyone on that atoll will have to relocate. There will be a ship bringing in supplies such as petrol, cigarettes, medical supplies and food. The supply ship wouldn’t be visiting that often. Maybe once a month if they are lucky.
@@tsunamis82 They should all come to Australia... big bloody island here lol, more land than anyone knows what to do with.
@@pascalswager9100 Isn't most of that land nearly uninhabitable though?
@@peggedyourdad9560 Nahh... whatcha mean lol. For the size of Oz (only slightly smaller than the US) Our population is tiny in comparison to the US, 25 mill to 400million in the US, we have heaps and heaps of room 😁
@@pascalswager9100 I was wondering because isn't the middle of Australia basically desert terrain? I have heard the land around the outer edges is much better though. Maybe you could clear this up.
They were ridiculously lucky to even be found. It’s a miracle they didn’t die.
Beautiful video! Thank you so much ❤
I'M GONNA NAVIGATE MYSELF ON LAND THANK-YOU, NO OCEAN FOR THIS CAT😺
They are looking at their survived But I am very happy that they are survived.
How did they drink seawater and survive?
The only thing I can think of is the coconuts, maybe the high levels of electrolytes somehow saved them , but it's just a guess
coz they're crazy teenagers
Cattle drink the top off 🌊 sea water, apparently it's only brackish, and the boys were only drinking the top of the water, could explain why they got away with it. Sure was well narrated, THANKS ***
Your channel is excellent, thank goodness I stumbled upon it. Terrific work friend.
Welcome aboard!
Excellent narration, well alined story. Wow!
This is a miracle they survived. GOD IS GOOD !!!
I lived on Atafu 11 years ago while I was studying the Tokelauan language and got to know Etueni fairly well. One day we were down at the channel that leads into the ocean and we realised that the boat on the beach next to us was the one from their ordeal. "Hey!" he said to the boat. "Long time no see!"
Another time we were at work and I asked the boys how long the cargo boat trip is when leaving Atafu direct for Samoa without stopping at the other atolls.
"Just get Etueni to take you" one of the boys chipped in. "It'll take you 50 days!"
Very interesting stories! I would love to meet these young men and talk to them about the ordeal.
@@outdoordisasters I'm still a FB friend of Etueni's but I'm not sure if he's into talking to people about it or not.
Brilliant plan, perfectly executed!
Amazing story, I hope they’re still doing well!
I would love to live alone on a remote deserted island. As long as someone delivered food and movies I can build everything else. Even the internet is not an issue these days. I'd never leave If someone ever offered me an island to live on.
Sounds like my cup of Tea too, but only if I could still get my Sainsbury's Delivery.
Right? Like, let's trade places then, please?
Sounds nice. I'd rather have a cabin off in the smokey mountains with animals for neighbors...not the kind i have now.
@@Alaryicjude Where are you?
@@Mr.Unacceptable, near Portland, Oregon.
Right on!
When you do stupid things in life, you run great risks. These boys got themselves in this position so sympathy is not a feeling I have for them, I am glad they survived, but it was their own stupidity That got them in this position to begin with.
they're fame (infamy) got them precious visas and a one way ticket to Australia and Hawaii..
Kids…
The dumbest mistakes made in life are during teenagehood, I swear 🤦🏾♀️
Very good presentation. 👍 Clear, interesting and easy to understand. Also, nice background music.
Would you consider turning down your background music or maybe changing your mic? I always click on your vids but never finish them cause I just feel like it's too difficult to listen to
A lesson well learned? ...great commentary 🌷🌿🌸🌷🌿🌸
The key takeaway from this is never start anything with vodka 😂
Well done this documentary
Thank you!
Good Story, I enjoyed that even though some things didn't quite ring true. Thanks very much O.D.
Thank you! Who knows, maybe the boys left something things off. It's been the sea and the teens who know exactly how everything happened. For brevity sakes, I had to leave off some things that happened on the boat. But all the important events and in the vid.
It's ironic they all ended up on an island/continent again surrounded by water on all sides.
half-men coming of age could see themselves for the next half century of their lives condemned to a square mile island
-at any rate what great storytelling! 👍
Lesson: The judgement of 15-years-olds sucks the world over.
Absolutely. Me included.
But they weren't left for dead....they went on their own accord. Either way, great video
Survival is instinct
How did they survive drinking sea water lol. Amazing how these guys did literally everything wrong and still somehow lived.
The whole drinking sea water part really baffled me. I believe they had some delirium, but nothing too crazy. For the sake of not making the video 30+ minutes, I left off some details of their story where you could say drinking the sea water effected them. Or it could just be 3 boys in a tiny boat for weeks and where losing their minds. My uneducated hypothesis is that being island teens, maybe the sea water doesn't effect them as much since they grew up basically on the sea? I'm probably very wrong, but trying to wrap my mind around how the sea water didn't really effect them.
@@outdoordisasters The salt just dehydrates, it doesn't outright kill you. So they survived by offsetting the dehydration with suitable liquids, like those contained in fish and whatnot. But it certainly must have further exacerbated their thirst.
@Outdoor Disasters, thank you for researching and reporting on these interesting disasters.
Because you're becoming more popular, and so that you write as smart as you speak, the correct word should be affect, not effect, in both places in the comment above. Thanks again for your work.
They had all the signs of saltwater delirium, normally the average person would have died. I guess living on the ocean built up their bodies tolerance to sea water.
I refuse to believe that those grown men are below the age of 16
Vodka, coconut milk, pall mall cigarettes and cows milk. Brilliant combination. 🤣
Those are teen's?
Well told story.
I really like yr channel new subscriber
Your voice is unique and great detail.
Edit: booze has been responsible for many teens winning Darwin Awards
Glad they were rescued
Papa God🙏🏼was wit these 3 Boyz😔🧍🏽🧍🏽♂️🧍🏽Amen🛶💜
Hindsight is 20/20 those poor kids
Glad they made it out
I have alot of family in Idaho , I'll share this 😊🍷 . Bbys r looking so cute !!
not the smartest kids
Hunger can make you insane........
Not really "left" for dead if they went out themselves......
When they went searching for the boys and assume they're dead and stop the search, that's the very definition of "left for dead"
21:21 love your channel!! But yea, best advice that I’m following is that i aint going anywhere by boat unless it’s the love boat to temporary paradise even tho i would most likely drown from all the lies that he will soon tell me
I spent 13 hours in an inflatable life raft. I cannot imagine how it was possible to survive for seven weeks.
I will gladly trade my house in the United States for one on the island they were trying to escape, if they would let me stay on the island for the rest of my life.
GB all involved.
Wow this is insane LMAO these teenagers were absolutely reckless
Can’t blame them for trying to get to outta there
I missed it... how many days were they out there?
51 days, that's over 7 weeks!
They were very silly but I can understand why young men wanted to leave.
Yes you can do Stupid things when you are young. They have this story to tell their grand children. How they survived is beyound me.
I think this is the mother of all stupid decisions with dire consequences. I'm also happy that all the boys lived. They'll be in their 20s not btw since this happened around 10 years ago. I wonder if there's any way to find out how they're doing now?
🙏
Subscribed.
I dont blame them. I lived on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and it felt suffocating for the 3 years I lived there. Ive travel all over the world and have driven from California to NewYork twice. I cant imagine living on such a tiny island those boys lived on, must have felt like a 6x6 foot prison cell.
For your information, my Island Atafu is a very beautiful tropical peaceful Island. What they did was the result of Alcohol. And yes I'm from Atafu.
@@deancarter51 Nice to have your input here. I don't think anyone here is saying that your island isn't beautiful, they're just saying that it sounds like a place that could be stifling to live in after a while because it's so small.
@deancarter51 only 1 Sq mile and they have half a century still ahead of them..
also climate change may sink those islands in a few years.
Why would anyone want to live there? They basically live in the ocean. What is the life expectancy of people who live there? Hospitals? Schools? Government? Money?
how did they drink sea water n nothing happen to them???weired
I seriously wondered the same thing. There was some delirum but nothing too crazy. I almost think them being sea people basically made them immune. IDK.
I love my Polynesian people! Gasi Lofa Uso!
In that first picture they all looked like they were in the 40s lol
Stop it lol
5:37 I thought the island was only 15ft tall? That's obviously not the same island...
Praise God.
Our restriction age to consume alcohol in Tokelau is 20 + only young teenager they like steeling alcohol from their family member,,they for sure payed a price for they knew they been consume alcohol and get caught,,they decided to escaped the law of the elders and the whole atoll,,the whole atoll been looking everywhere since they escaped,but they been long gone,,they abandoned the search,thinking their boat had sink or something else happening to them,,,a search rescue from nz couldn't find them either,,as we dont have any rescue boat in Tokelau,,thanks God they rescue again as they been gone for over 2 months...I hope each atoll in Tokelau had their own rescue boat..
The narrator sounds like Morgan Freeman! Great voice ❤