The authorities of Solomon Islands reported on the rescue of 15 people, more than a month drifting in the Pacific ocean. It is reported by the Australian broadcasting company ABC.
As said the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to Solomon Islands Fred Yakasa, April 4 a group of people went on a motor boat from the province of New Ireland (Papua-New Guinea) to the island Lihir. In the way there was a breakdown of the engine, the boat went adrift, which lasted more than a month.
From dehydration died one woman. The rest of the passengers, including two children 4 and 10 years, managed to survive due to the fact that they chewed the betel nut peel.
The drifting boat was spotted by a plane, later its passengers were rescued. Now all victims are in hospital, two of them in serious condition.
Betel is an evergreen plant that is widely used in Southeast Asia as a condiment and in medicine. Betel leaves are traditionally used as a tonic.
