River Monsters TV crew accidentally find castaway on deserted island

The fisherman had prepared himself for death

British and American wildlife documentary River Monsters has featured a whole host of deadly predators since it began airing on Animal Planet in 2009, but the series' latest episode saw the crew and presenter Jeremy Wade make an altogether more unexpected discovery.

While filming in Australia last November, the show's production team came across a castaway on a deserted island.

The team was investigating the death of six men in a plane crash near Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria when they came across a fisherman who had been separated from his boat for 60 hours.

Speaking to American television programme Inside Edition, the show's director Stephen Shearman explained how the castaway had prepared himself for death after being stranded in 110-degree heat.

"He had said his last prayer. He was prepared to die and meet his maker," he stated, before revealing the crew hadn't initially planned to shoot near the island but had changed locations due to choppy waters.

"Together, we spotted this blue Esky, or cooler box, that was just sat on the rock [when] ...this guy with no clothes was running out of the cave, waving his arms out."

Named Tremine, the fisherman told the crew how he'd been fishing on his boat when he decided to venture out to find better oysters.

"He had tried to walk back, got beaten by the sun, and made his way back to the beach," Mr Shearman said.

"Meanwhile, he had suffered from sunstroke and was unable to go any further. He then spent that first night on the beach, and the next morning he tried again, but the sun had gotten to be too much for him and at this point he was now trapped."

The fisherman, a native of northern Australian town Borroloola, was concerned nobody would be looking for him as he has no family. Upon discovering him, the crew gave him several bottles of water and sent him for medical attention.

Apart from a "bruised pride," Tremine is now fine and well, with the experience leading to a particular enlightenment: "He's promised God he's going to start smoking again," said Mr Shearman. If he had a lighter, he'd be able to cook, and he'd have a fire," Shearman said.

No volleyballs were found on the island.