After spending seven nights and eight days adrift at sea, fisherman Apiuta was rescued following a coordinated search involving the New Zealand Air Force and nearby fishing vessels, bringing an end to an ordeal during which he survived by conserving resources and maintaining hope of being found.

Apiuta, 42, said one of the most emotional moments during his time at sea came on the third day after he completed his evening prayer. Looking across the water, he spotted what appeared to be a fishing vessel in the distance and believed rescue was within reach.

He said he paddled his small boat toward the vessel as quickly as possible, encouraged by the possibility of being seen. However, strong winds pushed his boat away from the fishing vessel, which eventually disappeared from view before contact could be established.

As the days passed, Apiuta concentrated on survival. He said his priority was to conserve the limited water available to him, protect himself from the cold and ensure that his boat remained afloat while waiting for an opportunity to be located.

On the eighth day, changing weather conditions provided renewed hope. Apiuta said he heard the sound of an aircraft overhead as the sky cleared, prompting him to believe that rescue might finally be approaching.

The aircraft was identified as a New Zealand Air Force plane, which circled above the area after locating signs of his presence. The crew alerted nearby fishing vessels and directed them toward the location to assist in the search.

A Taiwanese fishing vessel subsequently reached the area. Apiuta said he repeatedly blew his whistle until a member of the vessel’s crew heard the signal and directed a torch toward his boat, allowing the crew to locate him in the darkness.

The rescue ended more than a week of isolation at sea. After being brought aboard the fishing vessel, Apiuta was provided with food, an opportunity to shower and the means to contact his family.

He said the first person he called was his partner. Recalling the conversation, Apiuta said his first words were, “Darling, I’m okay.”

Following the rescue, Apiuta was taken to New Zealand, where he is expected to remain temporarily before travelling home.

Despite the experience, Apiuta said he intends to continue working as a fisherman. However, he said the incident has reinforced the importance of carrying essential safety equipment and preparing carefully before every journey at sea.

Reflecting on the lessons from his survival, Apiuta urged other fishermen not to overlook basic precautions. He said they should always carry a torch, wear a life jacket, remember a raincoat and begin every fishing trip with a prayer.

The rescue marked one of the most significant survival operations since the earthquakes struck on Wednesday, which left at least 1,450 people dead and devastated communities across La Guaira, the worst-affected region.

French Civil Security personnel and members of the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team from Virginia spent about 12 hours carefully removing unstable debris after locating the pair with specialized search cameras. The operation required rescuers to stabilize the structure while gradually reaching the trapped survivors.

The father and son, both visibly exhausted and wearing protective masks, were carried through debris-covered streets on improvised fabric stretchers before being transferred to a waiting ambulance as residents and emergency workers gathered nearby.

“They are extremely weak, as any patient trapped under rubble for four days would be, so we are doing everything possible to rehydrate them and administer various medications during the extraction process, which is moving very slowly,” a member of the French Civil Security said during the rescue.

Rescue teams established intravenous drips and cleared debris before completing the extraction, while other personnel continued searching the surrounding ruins for additional signs of life and coordinating efforts with colleagues working inside the collapsed structures.

The same multinational rescue contingent rescued a mother and her 9-month-old baby from the rubble a day earlier, underscoring the continuing effort to locate survivors despite increasingly difficult conditions.

Authorities said at least 33 people were rescued alive over the weekend, although tens of thousands remain missing, intensifying concerns that opportunities to find additional survivors are rapidly diminishing.

Disaster response specialists have long noted that survival rates typically decline sharply after the first 72 hours following a major earthquake, making prolonged rescues increasingly rare as search operations continue.

The rescue came after hours of coordinated efforts involving Venezuelan responders alongside teams from France and the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team from Virginia, who located the pair beneath the debris of a collapsed structure in one of the regions hardest hit by Wednesday’s magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.

The father emerged first, visibly exhausted and covered in dust while still holding his mobile phone. Rescuers immediately administered intravenous fluids before carefully carrying him on a stretcher through debris-filled streets. Minutes later, his shirtless son was extracted from the same structure and rushed to a waiting ambulance.

“Slow, slow, gentle, gentle,” rescuers repeatedly called in Spanish and English as emergency personnel passed the survivors through a line of responders and onlookers to awaiting medical teams.

The successful operation injected fresh optimism into rescue efforts that have entered a critical phase, with disaster specialists noting that the chances of finding survivors decline sharply after the first 72 hours beneath collapsed structures.

Authorities said at least 1,450 people have been killed, while thousands more were injured and many others remain missing following the twin earthquakes, the deadliest natural disaster to strike Venezuela in decades.

The father and son’s rescue followed another successful operation in which international teams saved a woman after she spent approximately 70 hours trapped beneath the rubble. Emergency responders also rescued several other survivors over the weekend as search operations continued across the affected coastal region.

Rescue crews, volunteers and local residents remain engaged in painstaking searches across collapsed neighborhoods, using specialized equipment to detect signs of life while carefully removing unstable debris.

The multinational response includes Venezuelan emergency services working alongside international rescue specialists, as helicopters, heavy equipment and medical teams continue operations across the disaster zone.

Officials said more than 3,238 people had been injured, while the United Nations estimated that over 50,000 people remained missing and up to 6.76 million could require humanitarian assistance, including emergency shelter, clean water, sanitation, healthcare and essential relief supplies.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira. Experts say the first 72 hours after a major earthquake provide the highest probability of rescuing survivors trapped beneath debris.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said rescue workers pulled an 11-year-old boy alive from the rubble in Caraballeda late Saturday, describing the rescue as a source of hope amid the disaster. Earlier, local residents rescued an infant from collapsed buildings approximately 32 hours after the earthquakes struck.

The United States said one runway at Simon Bolivar International Airport had resumed limited operations to receive U.S. military C-17 transport aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance, while a naval vessel had arrived offshore. Rodriguez said she had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed Washington’s support for relief efforts.

Authorities said 21 countries were dispatching search-and-rescue teams, while the United States was sending more than 250 disaster response personnel, including specialized rescue units equipped with search dogs.

The United Nations estimated physical damage at approximately $6.7 billion, equivalent to about 6% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product, highlighting the scale of reconstruction facing the country.

Residents criticized the pace of the emergency response, with some saying they had recovered relatives from collapsed buildings without official assistance. The government has restricted access to the worst-affected areas of La Guaira, requiring volunteers to obtain permits before participating in rescue operations.

The disaster has further strained Venezuela, which continues to grapple with prolonged economic hardship, weakened public services and political instability following the removal of former President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.

Authorities said the victims included foreign nationals from Portugal, Spain, Brazil, China, Chile, Italy and Uruguay, underscoring the international impact of one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in more than a century.

Rodríguez announced the updated toll while welcoming foreign rescue crews arriving from several countries, saying emergency operations remain focused on locating people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped. We are working tirelessly on this task,” Rodríguez said, adding that the coastal state of La Guaira had suffered the most severe devastation from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on Wednesday evening. She said the area had been placed under military control to facilitate rescue operations and the distribution of food, water and emergency supplies.

The revised casualty figures marked a sharp increase from earlier official estimates as emergency workers gained access to more affected areas. Authorities said thousands of people remain unaccounted for, with rescue efforts continuing around the clock.

The International Organization for Migration estimated that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including about 2 million residents of Caracas. The International Red Cross said many survivors remained afraid to return to damaged homes because of continuing structural risks.

The earthquakes caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, flattening residential buildings, damaging critical infrastructure and forcing thousands of residents to spend nights in parks and open spaces. Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas remained closed after sustaining damage, complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Rodríguez said the government had established a $200 million reconstruction fund to repair hospitals, homes and public infrastructure, while urging private companies to provide heavy machinery to support rescue operations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said approximately 1,000 emergency responders from 25 international search-and-rescue teams were deploying to Venezuela.

The United States said it had mobilized a broad humanitarian response despite logistical challenges caused by the airport closure. Spain dispatched specialist rescue teams equipped with search dogs, rescue cameras and ground-penetrating radar, while Chile, Switzerland and Germany also sent personnel and relief supplies. Turkiye announced the deployment of rescue teams with trained search dogs, and China pledged assistance. Qatar, Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic also offered support or deployed aid teams.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquakes struck near Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers west of Caracas. Seismologists said the shallow depth and the rapid succession of the two powerful earthquakes significantly amplified the level of destruction across the affected region.

Venezuela lies near the boundary of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, although earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively uncommon in the country compared with other parts of Latin America.

The latest recoveries occurred near the coastal city of Tobruk, close to Libya’s border with Egypt, where search teams have been conducting operations since the vessel sank.

According to security and medical sources, the newly recovered bodies were found over recent days after the body of a woman was discovered on Sunday. Authorities said all of the remains were in an advanced state of decomposition.

Last week, rescue and recovery teams retrieved 15 bodies, including that of a young girl, from several locations along the Tobruk coastline. Ten survivors were rescued from the incident and later told authorities that the boat had been carrying approximately 61 people when it capsized, according to a Libyan navy source.

Based on survivor accounts, dozens of passengers remain unaccounted for and are feared lost at sea.

Photographs released by the Tobruk Coast Guard showed members of the search and rescue department working alongside volunteers from the Libyan Red Crescent to recover bodies from the shoreline. The images depicted rescue workers wrapping the remains in white cloth before transporting them for burial.

Medical officials said the condition of the bodies has complicated identification efforts. One source said many victims are being buried shortly after recovery because decomposition has rendered identification increasingly difficult.

Security patrols continue to monitor beaches and coastal areas around Tobruk amid expectations that additional bodies may be carried ashore by currents in the coming days.

Libya remains one of the principal departure points for migrants and asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. Many originate from sub-Saharan African countries and undertake dangerous journeys through Libya in search of safety, employment opportunities or escape from conflict and economic hardship.

The country’s prolonged instability since 2011 has enabled extensive migrant-smuggling networks to operate along its coastline, making the central Mediterranean route one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that overcrowded vessels, poor weather conditions and limited rescue capacity continue to contribute to recurring maritime tragedies in the region.

Authorities have not yet released details regarding the nationality of the victims or the circumstances that led to the sinking.

The vessel was carrying approximately 61 migrants, according to accounts provided by 10 survivors, a Libyan navy source told Reuters. The circumstances surrounding the sinking remain under investigation.

The bodies were discovered over the past week at multiple locations along the coastline near Tobruk, a port city close to Libya’s border with Egypt. Two security officials said the remains were in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting they had been in the water for an extended period. Authorities warned that additional bodies could yet be found.

Images shared by the Tobruk Red Crescent on social media showed rescue workers wearing protective suits recovering bodies from rocky coastal areas and transferring them into body bags.

The latest incident underscores the continuing risks faced by migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe. Libya has remained a major transit hub for migrants and refugees since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Qaddafi, with many undertaking perilous sea journeys in search of safety or economic opportunity.

Libya’s oil-based economy also attracts migrants from neighboring countries and beyond who seek employment despite the country’s political instability and security challenges.

In a separate incident, the Emergency Medicine and Support Center in the city of Khums, operating under Libya’s Health Ministry in Tripoli, said medical teams treated 13 migrants after another boat capsized off the coast.

The two incidents highlight the persistent humanitarian challenges in the central Mediterranean, one of the world’s deadliest migration routes, where overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels continue to place migrants at significant risk.

The quake, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, struck off the coast of Mindanao island at 7:37 a.m. local time, causing widespread panic and disruption across several southern provinces.

Authorities said the death toll rose after at least 17 fatalities were reported in Sarangani province, where a landslide buried homes in the mountainous town of Glan.Rene Punzalan, a disaster mitigation official in Sarangani, said 13 villagers were killed in the landslide, while four others died elsewhere in the province.

The new casualties brought the overall death toll from the earthquake to at least 32.The earthquake damaged buildings, disrupted transportation and displaced thousands of residents. Philippine disaster officials said most fatalities were caused by collapsing structures, landslides and falling debris across the provinces of Sarangani, South Cotabato, Davao Occidental and nearby Balut Island.

In General Santos City, a regional commercial hub with a population of more than 700,000, several buildings were severely damaged or collapsed, including a popular fast-food restaurant. Seven people were reported killed in the city, while police said at least 12 others remained missing.

Search and rescue operations were underway at damaged structures, including a warehouse and commercial buildings, according to emergency responders.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of classes in affected areas and directed national disaster agencies to mobilize emergency assistance.

Officials said more than 100 students suffered minor injuries or fainted during school flag-raising ceremonies as the quake struck shortly after public schools reopened following the summer break.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake occurred near Maasim town in Sarangani province at a depth of about 33 kilometers.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the depth at 55 kilometers, differences that are common during initial assessments.Authorities recorded multiple aftershocks, including tremors reaching magnitude 6.5, and warned residents to avoid returning to damaged buildings until structural inspections are completed.The quake generated tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific.

Waves of up to 1.4 meters were recorded along sections of the Philippine coastline, while smaller waves were detected in Indonesia, Palau and Japan.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the broader tsunami threat had largely passed, prompting Philippine authorities to lift evacuation warnings by mid-afternoon.

The earthquake temporarily shut General Santos International Airport and led to the cancellation of 17 domestic flights, according to aviation authorities.Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is among the world’s most disaster-prone countries and frequently experiences major earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tropical cyclones.

Jaslinda Saludin, 49, was discovered on Saturday in a forested area near the town of Tapah in Malaysia’s Perak state, several kilometers from the location where she was last seen, local media reported.

The experienced hiker had been missing since embarking on a section of the challenging Trans Spencer Chapman trail, a 34-kilometer route that traverses rugged terrain along the Titiwangsa mountain range, which forms the backbone of Peninsular Malaysia.

Saludin was last seen after leaving a rest camp alone to ascend Gunung Batu Putih, commonly known as White Rock Mountain. When she failed to return, authorities launched a large-scale search involving helicopters, specialized rescue teams and indigenous community trackers familiar with the dense rainforest landscape.

Her disappearance quickly became one of Malaysia’s most closely followed rescue operations, generating extensive media coverage and widespread public concern.

According to local reports, Saludin was located by fishermen on Saturday afternoon. She told rescuers she survived by drinking water from rivers and streams and eating berries and other edible plants found in the forest.

Friends and relatives expressed astonishment that she had managed to endure nearly two weeks in the harsh environment.

“When we heard that she had been found safe, it felt like our prayers had been answered. It is truly a miracle,” her friend Hishammuddin Ahmad said.

Following her rescue, Saludin was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, assistant director of operations at the Perak Fire and Rescue Department, told local media that she suffered relatively minor injuries, including insect bites and wounds to her head, despite her extended ordeal in the wilderness.

The successful rescue highlighted the role played by indigenous Malaysian communities, whose knowledge of the terrain assisted search teams navigating the dense forests of central Malaysia.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the outcome and thanked all those involved in the operation. In a message posted on social media, he expressed gratitude to rescuers and community members who participated in efforts to locate the missing hiker.

Authorities have not yet provided further details on how Saludin became separated from the trail or how she survived for nearly two weeks before being found.

Five of the seven villagers initially stranded inside the cave have already been rescued, while multinational teams from Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Finland, Japan, Indonesia, France and Australia continue efforts to reach the remaining two.

Rescuers are pumping water from the cave and exploring possible dry passages and air shafts that could provide access to the missing individuals, who are believed to be trapped deeper inside the flooded system.

The group reportedly entered the cave in search of valuable minerals before a flash flood sealed their exit, triggering a major international rescue operation.