Tanker Rescues Mysterious Man Adrift 3-4 Days On Oil Barrels, page 1

A Norwegian Gas Tanker picked up a guy who was adrift this morning. He was on a raft made out of planks and four oil barrels (see photo). He told the crew he had been adrift for 2-3 days and he was thinly clothed and cold. They don't know who he is or why he was there, but he claimed he'd been set adrift by an "english ship". He may be Eastern European or he may be from California. They say he spoke "good english".

Berge Odin's crew heading for the raft:

The raft:

Berge Odin:

Photos: Bergesen Worldwide Gas

Aftenposten: Norwegian ship rescues castaway found floating at sea

21 Apr 2006

The crew of a Norwegian gas tanker spotted a thinly clad man Friday morning lying on a makeshift raft that allegedly had been set adrift in the chilly waters of the Skaggerak. The gas tanker Berge Odin, part of the fleet of Oslo-based Bergesen Worldwide Gas, was on its way from England to Sweden when the castaway was spotted in international waters between Norway and Denmark.

Per Erik Bjørklund of Bergesen's preparedness team said the raft had been made of planks and four oil barrels that had been bound together. The man found lying on the raft claimed he'd been set adrift by another ship. "We don't know much about him or why he was lying out there in the Skagerrak, but it didn't look like a coincidence," said Bjørklund. "He's in good shape, but was thinly clothed and cold."

There were some reports he may be Eastern European, while he reportedly claimed to come from California. Bjørklund said he spoke "good English."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

He is lucky to be alive, thinly clothed in these waters. Someone put him adrift, who and why? Who is he? Maybe he is simply just one of those guys who always get themselves into trouble?

Related Links:
Aftenposten: Han er nedkjolt og uttorket (in Norwegian...)

edit:
New information,
He may have been adrift for 3-4 days. He might be a South African and he wants to go to New York. He is in Swedish custody now.

Aftenposten: Flaatemannen fortsatt et mysterium (in Norwegian...)

[edit on 2006/4/21 by Hellmutt]