Last Man Off: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Antarctic Seas - Couverture rigide

Lewis, Matt

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0241002788 ISBN 13 : 9780241002780

Editeur : Viking, 2014

Synopsis

Last Man Off by Matt Lewis - a first-hand account of an ocean tragedy

'Reads like a sinister version of The Perfect Storm . . . Thrilling, compelling, unsettling, rewarding'
Sunday Times

'A story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell'
Bear Grylls

*THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER*

The waters of Antarctica, June 6th 1998. 23-year-old Matt Lewis has just started his dream job. An observer aboard a deep sea fishing boat, he is mesmerized by his new surroundings: glistening icebergs, killer whales and majestic albatross.

As the crew haul in their lines for the day, the waves seem bigger than usual - they are casting shadows on the deck. A storm is brewing.

What follows is an astonishing story of human courage, folly and tragedy. With the captain missing, and the crew forced to abandon ship, Lewis leads the escape onto three life rafts, where the battle for survival begins.

This brilliantly written and thrilling hour-by-hour account will be enjoyed by readers of non-fiction classics such as A Perfect Storm and Touching the Void, as well as fans of Deadliest Catch, Captain Phillips and 127 Hours. As heard on BBC Radio 4.

Matt Lewis was born in Bristol, England, in 1974. He trained as a marine biologist first at Bangor University and then at Aberdeen University, and has an MSc with distinction in Marine and Fisheries Science. In 1998 he got his first deployment as an observer aboard a deep sea fishing boat in the Southern Ocean. The trip was to end in tragedy. He now lives with his wife and two children in Aberdeen.

A propos du livre

À propos de l?auteur

Matt Lewis was born in Bristol, England, in 1974. He trained as a marine biologist first at Bangor University and then at Aberdeen University. He now lives with his wife and two children in Aberdeen. Last Man Off is Matt's first book.

À propos de la quatrième de couverture

'A story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell'
Bear Grylls

I'm waist-deep in seawater one degree below zero. My legs are numb, my fingers are frigid, and I cling to the inflatable arch which supports the roof of the flooded life-raft.
In the dim amber light I can just make out a few shapes around me. Bubbles, our Captain, lies slumped in the water, his head supported by his lifejacket. He is barely alive, his chunky-knit jumper and tracksuit bottoms no match for the water, the hypothermia and the heart attack he suffered as we abandoned the boat.
Above us, the thin canvas canopy is our only shelter from the shrieking wind and the leviathan swells of the ocean. Every few minutes we are crushed by the crest of a breaking wave.
Beneath me, weak orbs of silver light glow up from the water. The fading bulbs are attached to lifejackets, which are attached to bodies. I can feel limbs and objects under my feet and knees and sense that they are not alive.
There is little human noise. Any talk of rescue has long died away, and those who were wailing have stopped. Each person has sunk into his own struggle to survive.

'A dramatic tale of survival in one of the most brutal situations on earth. Feels like reading the diary of a doomed man . . . so personal and chillingly real; totally takes you there in a way that is not always comfortable'
Steve Backshall

À propos de la deuxième de couverture

In the depths of winter, hundreds of miles from land or rescue, a fishing boat fights for its life in swells as high as houses.

For Matt Lewis, a 23-year-old British marine biologist, it had been his dream first job. Working on the Antarctic seas alongside a toughened South African crew, he is mesmerised by daily life on board the boat.

Lewis watches with awe as a fishing line of 15,000 hooks is baited, discharged and retrieved each day to catch fearsome abyssal predators. Each fish, equipped with razor-sharp teeth and weighing up to 100kg, is hauled overboard by the crew with three-metre-long bamboo gaffs. He is equally dazzled by the glistening icebergs, towering waves, soaring albatross and majestic penguins and killer whales that surround the boat.

But when a massive storm engulfs the boat and she falters, Lewis's dream job turns into a nightmare. The Skipper refuses to act to save his ship, even when the crew are almost swept overboard and the hull begins to flood.

What follows is an astonishing story of human courage, folly and tragedy. When the boat's officers disappear, and the captain suffers a heart attack, Lewis rallies the crew to escape onto three life rafts, despite being one of the most inexperienced men aboard. He is the last man off the sinking ship and his actions will save numerous lives.

But the battle for survival has only just begun. With the light fading and snow falling, Lewis's raft begins to take on water in freezing conditions. No-one knows if rescue is on its way. Thirty-eight men set out. How many will return?

Last Man Off is an hour-by-hour true story of adventure, disaster and miraculous rescue. It will leave you fascinated, terrified and inspired.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Viking
• Date d'édition: 2014
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0241002788
• ISBN 13: 9780241002780
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 256
• Coordonnées du fabricant: VIKING; https://www.penguin.com/overview-vikingbooks/; ; Attn: Andrea T Sheridan 1745 BROADWAY; New York; NY; 10019; Etats-Unis
• Personne responsable: non disponible