133 Days Adrift: The Longest Life Raft Survival Ever | E208

In this week's episode of Crux True Survival Stories, hosts Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen tell the extraordinary story of Poon Lim—a Chinese sailor who survived 133 days alone on a life raft in the Atlantic Ocean, the longest solo life raft survival ever recorded.

When a German U-boat torpedoes the SS Ben Lomond in 1942, Poon Lim becomes the ship's sole survivor. Adrift with minimal supplies, he battles dehydration, starvation, and despair. Using nothing but his wits and will to live, he catches fish with makeshift hooks, snares seabirds, collects rainwater, and even kills a shark with his bare hands.

Discover how Poon Lim endured repeated near-rescues, brutal sun exposure, and complete isolation—and what it truly takes to survive when hope seems impossible.

00:00 Introduction
00:47 Meet the Hosts
01:11 Setting the Scene: Poon Lim's Ordeal Begins
02:39 The Sinking of SS Ben Lamond
06:18 Surviving the Open Ocean
09:39 Crafting a Survival Strategy
11:32 Near Rescues and Psychological Strain
17:08 Storms and Setbacks
18:48 Desperation and Determination
19:49 The Struggle for Survival
20:25 Desperation and Hard Measures
21:26 Sharks: A New Challenge
22:19 Catching a Shark
26:03 The Mental and Physical Toll
27:02 Near Rescue and Renewed Determination
29:19 Final Rescue and Recovery
34:57 Post-War Life and Legacy
37:39 Podcast Outro and Listener Engagement

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SOURCES

1. Wikipedia: "Poon Lim"
2. Wikipedia: "SS Benlomond (1922)"
3. War History Online: "Mess Steward Poon Lim Survived 133 Days Lost At Sea"
4. History Defined: "Surviving 133 Days at Sea: The Remarkable Life of Poon Lim"
5. Outdoor Revival: "Adrift - Poon Lim survived 133 days at sea on a wooden raft"
6. Factinate: "The Unbelievable Survival Story Of Poon Lim"
7. Today I Found Out: "The Man on the Raft: The Story of Poon Lim"
8. RECOIL OFFGRID: "Survival at Sea"
9. Ships Nostalgia: "Benlomond survivor WWII"

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