Guardian of the Sea: Turtle Rescues Shipwrecked Woman
In June 1974, 62-year-old Candalaria Villanueva experienced an extraordinary rescue that highlighted the profound connection between humans and animals. Shipwrecked and adrift, she was saved by an unlikely hero—a giant sea turtle.
According to an official report by the Philippine Navy and eyewitness accounts from the ship’s crew, Mrs. Villanueva was “aboard” the turtle when they found her. She explained that after being stranded, the massive creature approached her, and she instinctively clung to its shell.
A Testament to Nature’s Unlikely Heroes
Remarkably, the turtle swam for two days without diving for food, enduring hunger to carry her to safety. When the rescuing ship arrived, the crew initially mistook the turtle for an oil drum. But as Mrs. Villanueva was brought aboard, the turtle circled the vessel three times before vanishing into the ocean depths—a silent yet powerful farewell from the guardian who saved her life.
References:
“Giant Turtle Saved Woman.” The Montreal Gazette. 25 June 1974. Google News Web.
