life raft

"Everything about the condition of the life rafts and safety issues on the boat went away," says Lisa.

"I was paralysed because Cristhian kept saying to me 'don't jump' because he could see someone was trying to release the life raft," Hissora recalls.

The haul included two yellow life rafts, two of the 28,700 lost overboard from the Tokio Express.

Dressing her in new clothes, they placed her on a mattress and steered the makeshift life raft toward medical help.

Military officials said rescuers "battled" currents and winds that pushed life rafts and sea boats towards the reefs, and swells made rescue efforts "challenging".