[HiTech RedNeck]

I’d hope so, but I hear the ocean currents in the area are enough to carry a drifting vessel to shore.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I’d hope so, but I hear the ocean currents in the area are enough to carry a drifting vessel to shore.

That is EXACTLY what's happening. The Indian Ocean has two main currents - one north of the Equator, and one south of the Equator.

The northern current literally runs parallel to the Equator then slams into Somalia, runs up past the Gulf of Aden and up towards the Persian Gulf. ANYTHING off the coast of Somalia gets driven to land, at a pretty healthy 3-4 knots per hour. Given they were bobbing for close to 4 days, that would be 96 hours. Or a potential 400 miles covered.

NOAA current map, showing the Somali current driving water into and up along Somalia.