Fishermen Rescued By Tug Boat Hauling Space Shuttle Tank

A fortuitous encounter by an unlikely vessel led to the sea rescue of four fishermen off the coast of Mexico this weekend.

The three Americans and one Mexican national were fishing on a charter boat off the coast of Baja California Thursday May 12 when their boat sank and they took to an emergency life raft, according to Fox 5.

RELATED: Lost At Sea for 14 Months

At least a day later the crew on board a tug boat hauling a piece of the space shuttle for an exhibit at California Science Center of Los Angeles spotted the orange inflatable. 

The men arrived in San Diego on Sunday morning and it was unclear in press reports just exactly how long they survived at sea. 

RELATED: Castaway Rescued from a Deserted Island

Last year a man survived 14 months at sea, the longest reported ever. The story became a book by Jonathan Franklin called 438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea.

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