Pacific castaway José Salvador Alvarenga appears weak as he gives his first press conference

Mr Alvarenga has returned to hospital in the Marshall Islands

Pacific castaway Jose Salvador Alvarenga (L) is helped into a press conference in the Marshall Islands capital of Majuro on 6 February, 2014. (AFP/Getty Images )

A fisherman who allegedly spent over a year adrift in the ocean has given his first press conference, appearing clean-shaven but tired-looking a week after his ordeal ended.

José Salvador Alvarenga arrived at a remote island in the Pacific earlier last week appearing bedraggled and heavily bearded, having drifted across the ocean for at least 5,500 miles.

The 37-year-old from El Salvador said he survived on little more than fish, birds and turtle blood after the motor on the fishing boat he departed on in December failed, leaving him and his colleague Ezekiel stranded close to the coast Mexico. Four months into their ordeal, teenager Ezekiel was unable to digest the raw food and died.

"He couldn't keep the raw food down and he kept vomiting," Mr Alvarenga told the Agence France-Presse. "I tried to get him to hold his nose and eat but he kept vomiting."

He was discovered by residents of Ebon a week ago, when he stumbled ashore after seeing trees from his boat. He has since returned to the Majuro Hospital in the Marshall Islands because he was considered too dehydrated to travel home for treatment.

A frail-looking Mr Alvarenga could be seen walking into the room where the press conference was being held on Thursday, before he took the opportunity to thank the government in Majuro for caring for him.

"I’m thanking the government of this place for supporting me. My friends, my friends, they gave me support, thank you for looking after me", he said.

"I'm feeling better now."

Doubts have been raised over his account of his thirteen months at sea, with many saying they expected him to be more emaciated considering he had such a poor diet over a prolonged period of time. But when asked for more details of his experience, the press were told Mr Albarengo was not willing to answer those questions yet.

"We're not willing to talk too much right now", an official said on his behalf. "He has to get back for his medical check-ups".