Wellington, New Zealand

In a tale of extraordinary survival, New Zealand fisherman Will Fransen narrowly escaped the clutches of the ocean after spending a harrowing 23 hours treading water off the country's North Island.

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Fransen's ordeal began on Tuesday (Jan 2) when he was on the boat without a life jacket. At the time of the incident, he was trying to pull a marlin fish out of the waters. As Fransen struggled in the vast expanse of the ocean, he faced an additional threat - a brief encounter with a circling shark.

Determined to defy the odds, Fransen used an ingenious method to attract attention and secure his rescue. His wristwatch, catching the sunlight, served as a beacon of hope. A passing boat found the stranded fisherman. 

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Reflecting on the ordeal, Fransen expressed his awareness of the slim odds stacked against him.

"I knew my chances weren't very good," he admitted in an interview with TVNZ.

"I'm usually pretty positive, but I knew my chances weren't good."

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One rescuer James Mcdonnell recounted the astonishing moment when they found Fransen.

"He was incredibly pale and incredibly cold," Mcdonnell remarked. "It's an incredible story, and I don't think too many people would believe us, but hey, Will's there to tell the tale."

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Despite the severity of the situation, Fransen emerged with some physical injuries. As per reports, he suffered little more than windburn and stiff joints from the prolonged immersion in the sea. Looking ahead, Fransen has plans to enhance the safety features of his boat, the very vessel from which he was unexpectedly separated.

The whereabouts of the boat remain unknown. 

(With inputs from agencies)