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Miles Archer

(18,837 posts) Fri Dec 18, 2015, 08:17 AM Dec 2015

Castaway sued for $1M for eating shipmate

http://www.wcnc.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/12/17/reports-castaway-sued-million-eating-crewmate/77483586/

A Salvadoran man, who survived more than a year at sea, is being sued for $1 million after being accused of eating his traveling companion during the ordeal.

A few months after being lost at sea, Cordoba became weak and eventually died after eating a bird, according to Alvarenga, UPI reported. He said he tossed Cordoba’s body off the side of the boat, according to UPI.

Alvarenga said he survived a little over 14 months by drinking turtle blood, urine and eating any fish or birds he could catch.

Cordoba’s family disputes Alvarenga’s account and is demanding compensation for cannibalizing Cordoba.

5 replies

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Castaway sued for $1M for eating shipmate (Original Post) Miles Archer Dec 2015 OP

Okay, this is an absurd lawsuit Spider Jerusalem Dec 2015 #1

The legal precedent for the Custom of the Sea is pretty well established in maritime law, I think? Recursion Dec 2015 #2

We're having my in-laws for Christmas Dinner. Nye Bevan Dec 2015 #3

I would say to his family, LuvNewcastle Dec 2015 #4

This has nothing to do with their deceased relative. geomon666 Dec 2015 #5

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

1. Okay, this is an absurd lawsuit

Reply to Miles Archer (Original post)

Fri Dec 18, 2015, 08:19 AM

Dec 2015

if he did cannibalise his shipmate, it was out of an extremity of hunger and lack of food, and if he did he may not have survived if he didn't (and, cannibalism is not unheard of in such extreme circumstances, either).

Recursion

(56,582 posts)

2. The legal precedent for the Custom of the Sea is pretty well established in maritime law, I think?

Reply to Miles Archer (Original post)

Fri Dec 18, 2015, 08:23 AM

Dec 2015

"It's no use; I can't go on, what with my gammy leg. The rest of you will have to eat me."
"What, with the gammy leg and all?"
"You needn't eat the leg, Rogers..."
(One of Monty Pythons best lesser-known sketches...)