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Fisherman shipwrecked 19 years ago is found via Facebook

A fisherman who disappeared 19 years ago has been found by family members after they spotted a picture of him on Facebook.

Angel Ramirez Lopez, 56, was believed to have died at sea in 2000 after the ship he was working on sank off the shore of Talara, a city in the Piura Region in northwestern Peru.

But almost 20 years later, Mr Lopez has been reunited with his family after his cousin Milena Ramirez found him living on the streets of Chimbote in northwestern Peru.

Angel Ramirez Lopez is pictured left before he went missing. He is pictured right almost two decades later. Source: Australscope
Angel Ramirez Lopez was believed to have died at sea in 2000 after the ship he was working on sank off the shore of Talara, a city in the Piura Region in northwestern Peru. Source: Australscope

Milena reportedly recognised Mr Lopez, who suffers from memory loss and is easily disorientated, in Facebook pictures that people had taken of him and posted online to ask for help because he was homeless.

“They went fishing and never came back, it has brought joy to the family and friends, it is a miracle of God, it surprised us, it was totally unexpected,” Milena said.

“He doesn't remember many things, he remembers that he saved his life during the shipwreck by swimming, and a foreign ship took him and exploited him. They mistreated him, then he doesn't remember anything else, nor how he got here,” she said.

Pictured is the Facebook image that captured Mr Lopez's cousin's attention. Source: Australscope
Pictured is the Facebook image that captured Mr Lopez's cousin's attention. Source: Australscope

Reports state the fisherman was taken to a police station with his cousin and officers took his fingerprints, but he ran away shortly after.

The family are now trying to locate him again with the hopes of taking him to therapy while they await for DNA results to confirm the man is their relative.

- Australscope

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