Four Nigerians, rescued in Brazil, survived 14 days on a ship's rudder

Nigerian refugees Thankgod Matthew and Roman Ebimene pose for a photo during an interview, after being rescued from a ship rudder on the Brazilian coast, in Sao Paulo, Brazil July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Carla Carniel

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - On their tenth day at sea, the four Nigerian stowaways crossing the Atlantic in a tiny space above the rudder of a cargo ship ran out of food and drink.

They survived another four days, according to their account, by drinking the sea water crashing just meters below them, before being rescued by Brazilian federal police in the southeastern port of Vitoria.