Man who was stranded at sea for 438 days was sued for $1 million three years after being rescued

A man who was stranded at sea for 438 days ended up being sued for $1 million (£775,000) just three years after he was rescued.

José Salvador Alvarenga survived for over a year in a small boat in the Pacific Ocean, after heading out for a two-day fishing trip back in 2012.

Alvarenga, a fisherman from Mexico, planned the trip with fellow fisherman, Ezequiel Córdoba, who was 22 at the time.

Initially, the trip was going well, but when a storm began to set in, the men decided to keep fishing and see what else they could catch.

José Salvador Alvarenga was out at sea for over a year. (GIFF JOHNSON/AFP via Getty Images/José Salvador Alvarenga)

It was a decision that they went on to regret.

The men were caught in the storm, which didn't ease off for a week. They ditched much of their equipment in order to be able to manoeuvre the boat more easily, but unfortunately the fishermen suffered another blow when their motor cut out in the middle of the ocean.

Although they were only 15 miles from the coast at this point, the strong winds pushed them further into the Pacific.

At one point, they were able to radio their boss to tell him what had happened, but unfortunately their radio lost power before he could rescue them.

The boat drifted further away from the shore and the men were totally stranded.

After 10 weeks of surviving on turtles, bird blood and fish, Córdoba became unwell and died on the boat, leaving Alvarenga alone.

When Alvarenga began hallucinating that he was talking to his dead friend, who was lying in the boat, he decided he had to let him go.

The fisherman continued on his own for a year, making numerous attempts to flag down passing ships, but to no avail.

But one day, he came across a tiny island called Ebon Atoll, around 6,000 miles from Mexico.

Alvarenga swam to shore and found a beach house owned by a local couple who were able to wave down help.

Following the incredible rescue mission, Alvarenga's experience was published in a book.

Alvarenga (middle) was forced to survive on turtles, fish and bird blood. (José Salvador Alvarenga)

The survivor gave interviews about his experience to journalist Jonathan Franklin, who published his story as the book 438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea.

Shortly after the book was released, the family of Córdoba launched a million dollar lawsuit against Alvarenga, claiming that he had eaten their loved one to survive.

Alvarenga denied the claims, and said the pair had made a pact not to do so.

Alvarenga's lawyer, Ricardo Cucalon told Elsalvador.com: "I believe that this demand is part of the pressure from this family to divide the proceeds of royalties.

"Many believe the book is making my client a rich man, but what he will earn is much less than people think."

Alvarenga went on to pass a lie detector test to prove he was telling the truth.