Castaways rescued after writing message on sand using palm leaves
It was a 'remarkable testament to their will to be found', rescuers said.
We’ve all thought about what we wish we’d pack if we were on a deserted island – but enough palm leaves to spell ‘HELP’ might be top of that list.
Other than, you know, a satellite phone, an inflatable raft or a flashlight. Or plane tickets not to a deserted island.
Three castaways have been rescued from a tiny remote island in the Pacific Ocean by making the giant ‘HELP’ sign using palm leaves.
The mariners were found on Pikelot Atoll, a 450m island part of Micronesia about 860 miles away from Papa New Guinea.
The men – all experienced sailors in their 40s – embarked on their voltage from Polowat Atoll to the island in their 20-foot open skiff on Easter Sunday to fish.
But when the niece of the three men hadn’t heard from her uncles in six days, she reported them missing to the Coast Guard in Guam.
Braving poor weather conditions and limited resources, the US Coast Guard and Navy combed more than 78,000 square nautical miles to find the men.
Finding shipwrecked sailors isn’t exactly an easy thing to do in the seemingly endless blue ocean.
But their giant ‘HELP sign’ certainly helped officials find them on Sunday, said Lt. Chelsea Garcia.
‘In a remarkable testament to their will to be found, the mariners spelt out ‘HELP’ on the beach using palm leaves, a crucial factor in their discovery,’ he said.
‘This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location.’
Having tracked them down eight days after they vanished, the three men were surviving off the last of their supplies.
Getting to the island to rescue the men was tricky, however. After all, the men told officials that the shoals and swells around the island had damaged their ship, leaving the engine busted.
A Coast Guard cutter ship flew in from Hawaii to rescue the three men and returned them home on Tuesday
‘This successful operation underscores the effective coordination and partnership between the US Coast Guard, the US Navy, and regional partners. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved,’ said Garcia.
Lt. Cmdr. Christine Igisomar, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were rescued, added: ‘Every life saved, and every mariner returned home is a testament to the enduring partnership and mutual respect that characterizes our relationship, making a profound impact on the lives of individuals and the resilience of communities across the (Federated States of Micronesia).’
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