Poon Lim | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 8 March 1918 Hainan, China |
| Died | 4 January 1991 (aged 72) Brooklyn, New York, US |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Merchant Navy |
| Ship | Benlomond |
Known for | Survived for 133 days in a life raft at sea as a castaway |
| Awards | British Empire Medal |
Poon Lim BEM (Chinese: 潘濂; pinyin: Pān Lián; 8 March 1918 – 4 January 1991) was a Chinese seafarer. He was born on the island of Hainan, China. In 1942–43 he survived 133 days alone in the South Atlantic.[1][2]
Lim was Second Mess Steward on SS Benlomond, a British cargo ship that the German submarine U-172 sank on 23 November 1942. He survived on an eight-foot (2.4 m) wooden raft with supplies. When the supplies ran low, Lim resorted to fishing, catching seabirds, and rainwater collection.
On 5 April 1943, three Brazilian fishermen rescued Lim as he neared the coast of Brazil. After Lim returned to the United Kingdom, King George VI awarded him the British Empire Medal. After the Second World War, Lim emigrated to the United States.
- ^ "In their disabled boat, 3 Mexicans drift 9 months across Pacific". International Herald Tribune. 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
- ^ United Press (25 May 1943). "Tells of 132 Days on Raft". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2008.