Amid the unremitting horror and devastation there came a rare story of survival. Hiromitsu Shinkawa was found floating nearly ten miles out at sea on the roof of his house, two days after the quake struck. As the wave approached his home city of Minamisoma on Friday, the 60-year-old and his wife took the fateful decision to return home to collect belongings. Minutes later Mr Shinkawa was being dragged out to sea in swirling currents. He was eventually spotted by a navy vessel searching for victims, clinging to the wreckage with one hand and waving a makeshift red flag with the other. After being hauled on to the rescue boat, Mr Shinkawa burst into tears when he was told that his wife was still missing. ‘No helicopters or boats that came nearby noticed me,’ he said. ‘I thought that day was going to be the last day of my life.’ (Daily Mail)Monday, 14 March 2011
Man is rescued TEN MILES out to sea after clinging to roof of his obliterated house for two days
Amid the unremitting horror and devastation there came a rare story of survival. Hiromitsu Shinkawa was found floating nearly ten miles out at sea on the roof of his house, two days after the quake struck. As the wave approached his home city of Minamisoma on Friday, the 60-year-old and his wife took the fateful decision to return home to collect belongings. Minutes later Mr Shinkawa was being dragged out to sea in swirling currents. He was eventually spotted by a navy vessel searching for victims, clinging to the wreckage with one hand and waving a makeshift red flag with the other. After being hauled on to the rescue boat, Mr Shinkawa burst into tears when he was told that his wife was still missing. ‘No helicopters or boats that came nearby noticed me,’ he said. ‘I thought that day was going to be the last day of my life.’ (Daily Mail)