影片故事取材自二战时期一段真实的历史：1942年，一艘满载1800多名英军战俘的日本货船“里斯本丸”，在舟山群岛附近海域遭美国潜艇鱼雷攻击沉没。附近的东极渔民冒着生命危险，救出了300多名英国军人，并在日军的大规模搜查中保护、营救了3名英国人。 这段历史被称作“里斯本丸沉船事件”。

In 1942, a Japanese cargo ship "Lisbon Maru" loaded with more than 1,800 British POWs was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. submarine in the waters near Zhoushan Islands. Nearby fishermen from the East Pole risked their lives to rescue more than 300 British soldiers and protected and rescued three Britons during a massive search by the Japanese.