Poon Lim, a Chinese sailor who survived alone adrift on this life raft for 133 days, eventually being rescued in 1943 off the coast of Brazil. Photo taken c.1943-1945

Poon Lim survived for 133 days after the British merchant navy vessel he was travelling on was sunk by a German U-boat, in November 1942, leaving him stranded in the South Atlantic Ocean. Several others survived the initial sinking, but perished, leaving Poon the sole survivor of the attack. He subsequently clambered aboard this raft, and after slowly working his way through the rations already on board, survived by drinking rainwater and catching fish, sharks and even sea-birds. Once, a large storm hit and spoiled his fish and fouled his water. Poon, barely alive, caught a bird and drank its blood to survive. He ultimately drifted towards the coast of Brazil, where he was rescued and treated in a local hospital, in April 1943.