Salvador Alvarenga, who survived 15 months at sea and was washed ashore in the Marshall Islands last year, is being sued by the family of his dead friend who claimed he stayed alive by eating him.

According to the Independent, Salvador paid Ezequiel Cordoba $50 to accompany him on the trip. Following a storm, the pair survived on the boat by catching fish and birds.

Mr Cordoba passed away on the boat and Salvador claims he kept the corpse on the boat for six days before pushing it overboard.

The family are now suing Mr Alvarenga for one million dollars in compensation but he denies eating the fellow fisherman.