Let me survive - Louise Longo|Marie-Thrse Cuny

On 30 September 1994, Louise Longo, Bernard and their five year-old daughter, Gaella, left Rochefort on the Atlantic coast of France to go on a three week cruise. On the night of 5th October a storm blew up in the dangerous Bay of Biscay. In the breaking seas, Bernard was afraid the sailboat would sink and thought that they would be safer in the lifecraft. The Spanish coast was only 40 miles away. They thought that they would soon be rescued.;They had hardly any food and very little water. No boat appeared. Bernard who had been hurt getting into the raft, died on the morning of 11 October. For two weeks, Louise fought hunger, thirst and despair while trying to keep Gaella alive. Finally, on 20 October, a Russian freighter spotted the raft. But the swell was too big. It was impossible to hoist them. The freighter had to leave without them but called a helicopter. Louise did not know that rescue was coming. And it seemed that all hope was left when the freighter abandoned them. Gaella gave up and closed her eyes. Only Louise survived.