9. Old Salt Blog — “Why Didn’t José Salvador Alvarenga Die of Scurvy?” (oldsaltblog.com, accessed October 2026). Source for: Piantadosi Duke University vitamin C explanation (birds and turtles synthesize own vitamin C, British sailors got scurvy from preserved not fresh meat), body fat and muscle can sustain for long periods with basic micronutrients.
10. NBC News — “Salvadoran Castaway to Visit Fishing Mate’s Family in Mexico” (nbcnews.com, accessed October 2026). Source for: Alvarenga traveling to Mexico to meet Córdoba’s family, four-day Chiapas visit planned, the pact (“whoever reached land would inform the other’s loved ones”), lawyer’s description as “pact between them as coworkers on the boat,” Telemundo quote “I want to forget it all.”
11. All That’s Interesting — “The Incredible Story of José Salvador Alvarenga” (allthatsinteresting.com, accessed October 2026). Source for: Alvarenga joining Los Tiburoneros shark hunters in Costa Azul, employer called Willy at Blue Coast operation, bar fight and stab wounds leading him to flee El Salvador to Guatemala then Mexico.
12. Shortform — “438 Days Summary” (shortform.com, accessed October 2026). Source for: Willy beginning rescue operation when Alvarenga radioed distress, search and rescue also initiated by local authorities, Alvarenga grew up in Garita Palmera drawn to sea from young age, bar fight with stab wounds fled first to Guatemala then Mexico.
**Key editorial notes:**
– Departure confirmed November 17 2012; arrival confirmed January 30 2014; duration 438 days per Franklin’s documented research. “More than a year” used in headline per prompt instruction; 438-day figure used in body with clear attribution to Franklin’s research.
– Ezequiel Córdoba’s age reported as 22 (mother’s account, family accounts) and 24 (Wikipedia) and in early Mexican records as 38 — discrepancy noted in article; 22 used as the family-verified age per prompt guidance to attribute and reconcile rather than merge conflicting versions.
– Córdoba’s death placed “approximately the fourth month” per Alvarenga’s detailed account in Franklin’s book; earlier reports of “about a month” noted as originating from early unverified reporting.
– Córdoba family lawsuit alleging cannibalism is noted as an allegation that was denied and for which no corroborating evidence has been published; treated as allegation per prompt guardrails, not as established fact.
– Angela Bassett note: N/A to this article.
– No invented dialogue, private thoughts, detailed assault scenes, or unattributed internal states.
– Scurvy explanation from named experts (Piantadosi/Duke, Tipton/Portsmouth) via SCMP and Old Salt Blog.
– Drift plausibility from named researchers (Maximenko and Hafner/UH IPRC; van Sebille) via University of Hawaii press release and LiveScience.
– Norman Barth US Embassy credibility assessment per contemporaneous reporting.
– Polygraph noted as one data point; qualified appropriately as not legally definitive.
– Boat given to Libokmeto/Laijedrik couple per Tico Times.
– Post-rescue mental health noted from medical reports (fear of water, insomnia, mentally fragile per doctors) without invented detail or diagnosis.