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The sailor Magnus Reslow, 64, was attacked by three pirate gangs off the coast of Colombia.
Despite being stabbed in the stomach with a bread knife, he managed to chase the pirates away and fired emergency rockets at them.
– The knife was dull. I had fabulous luck, he says.
Magnus Reslow has sailed on all the world’s oceans for 30 years. He has seen and experienced most things. But what happened in the intervening days cannot be compared to anything else.
He was on his way from the Canary Islands to South America when he realized he needed a new passport and traveled to Bogotá, Colombia to get it. During the afternoon of December 28, he started sailing from there. After barely a day before he was attacked by a group of pirates.
– It was an ordinary fishing boat. They jumped on board, took quite a lot and abused me quite roughly, says Magnus Reslow.
However, they did not take his phone and Magnus was therefore able to alert a friend in Sweden about the urgent situation. The friend immediately contacted the rescue station in Gothenburg, which in turn alerted the coast guard in Santa Marta in Colombia.
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full screen “It has changed and ruined my life. But what am I going to do – I have to continue,” says Magnus Reslow. Photo: Private
Struck with a bread knife
After less than half an hour, another boat arrived with pirates who beat him up and stole more stuff. Shortly afterwards, a third fishing boat arrived and three pirates jumped aboard Magnus’s boat.
– The leader entered the cabin, started rummaging around and passed stuff out to his friends who were standing on deck. I didn’t dare do anything, says Magnus Reslow.
After a while he had enough and went on the leader himself.
– I said “Hola amigo”, then I grabbed the thumb. I didn’t break it, but he probably sprained it badly anyway. He got mad and found a bread knife which he hit really hard with. The stab wound on a rib.
– Then I chased them with a hammer on the deck. Then they jumped into the water and I fired flares at them. They then got on their boat and started throwing glass bottles at me.
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full screen The boat before it was attacked by pirates. Photo: Private.
Prepared molotov cocktail
Magnus began to suspect that the pirates were cooperating and tipping each other off. He went down into the cabin to rest and to prepare for a fourth round.
– I prepared a Molotov cocktail that I intended to throw at them.
He heard a new boat approaching. But it turned out to be his salvation – the Colombian Coast Guard from Santa Marta.
They towed the boat in and helped him for the first few days.
– There was a big wound in the back of the buttock and one in the shoulder from the glass bottles. On the one hand, they could just as well have hit the head, on the other hand the stab wound took a rib.
Barely two weeks have passed and soon Magnus hopes to be able to travel on to Panama.
– I’ve recovered fantastically well. A week ago I couldn’t stand.
The shock has worn off, says Magnus. But he is worried that everything will hit him further down the line.
– I was involved in a shipwreck in 2007. Then I lost everything I owned. But it didn’t move me. I went to Sweden and my parents helped me buy a new boat. A year later I got PTSD. Now I am afraid that I will have it again – that I will repress what happened now and that it will all come back again.
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full screenJames and Sherrin Scott donate their sewing machine to Magnus Reslow. Photo: Private.
Before the new adventure, however, it’s like starting over. The pirates have taken basically everything – clothes, tools, sails and medicines. They also stole Magnus’ sewing machine, which is also his source of income, as a sail fitter on the seas.
After the attacks, he has received help. Partly by people in Santa Marta, but also by a German YouTuber who interviewed Magnus Reslow in a video on his channel.
– He also started a collection. In just 24 hours, SEK 100,000 has come in. Now I’m just waiting for my bank card.
The video has received thousands of views and has spread throughout the sailing world. James and Sherrin Scott are some of those who want to help. They have now donated a sewing machine to Magnus.
– It’s incredible – also the same one I had before. I have also met other sailors who supported with some money, materials, medicine and some other stuff. They have all been great, he says.