In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim was the flood survivor who built a boat.
Utnapishtim appears in the eleventh tablet of the Standard Babylonian version of the Epic of Gilgamesh. He tells Gilgamesh how the god Ea warned him about a coming flood and instructed him to build a large boat. Utnapishtim saved his family, craftsmen, and animals, then released birds after the flood to test whether the waters had receded.
The story has notable similarities to the Genesis account, including a divine warning, a large vessel, preservation of life, and birds sent out afterward. It is not the same narrative, however. The names, gods, setting, wording, and outcome differ. Utnapishtim and his wife are granted immortality, whereas Genesis focuses on Noah’s covenant and continued human history.
Atrahasis is another Mesopotamian flood hero and an important related figure, which is why the names are sometimes confused. The Gilgamesh character’s name is Utnapishtim.