Let’s set the scene to our tale, February 25, 2015, off the coast of the beautiful Philippines.
Two hardworking fishermen notice what appears to be an abandoned yacht in the distance. The sails are barely there, and it looks like this luxury vessel was no longer the beauty it once was.
The tired fishermen were ready to pack up their equipment and head for home, but their curiosity would not let them. So, they decided to venture closer and check out the yacht. When the men went on board, they discovered an unbelievable sight that would have frightened most.
There in the radio room of the abandoned drifting vessel, the Filipino fishermen found a German sailor dead and slumped over in his chair.
Even more bizarre, was the condition of his body. He was actually mummified! The two couldn’t leave the poor sailor there adrift alone at sea, so they called police and then through a gesture of kindness, the fishermen towed the yacht back to port. When they arrived, police began their investigation.
The research they uncovered, revealed the mummified corpse was that of Manfred Fritz Bajorat, a 59-year-old German adventurer. There didn’t appear to be foul play, and the body was slumped over a desk, as if he had been sleeping.
The mystery surrounded the mummification and how it could possibly occur at sea. A YouTube video by Tomo News suggests death by natural causes. The high temperatures and dry salty air then mummified his body.
