Three men stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island for three days were rescued Thursday after using palm fronds to spell the word “help” in the sand.
Three men stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island for three days were rescued Thursday after using palm fronds to spell the word “help” in the sand.
A Navy P-8 Madfox 807 aircrew from Misawa Air Base in Japan was conducting a search pattern for the missing mariners when they spotted survivors holding lifejackets and the makeshift sign. They relayed the information to search and rescue watchstanders in Guam. The survivors were then picked up and transferred by a small boat to Pulap.
Watchstanders at Sector Guam Command Center learned of the overdue skiff en route to the island of Weno on Tuesday. Watchstanders issued a broadcast, coordinated the assistance of the Navy P-8 aircrew and vessels in the area of the skiff’s last known location to assist in the search. AMVER vessels Brilliant Jupiter and Ten Yu Maru diverted and searched 178 miles of track-line. The Navy P-8 aircrew launched at 6 a.m. Thursday to assist in the search and located the men approximately two hours later.
The Coast Guard 14th District has coordinated rescue efforts in the Pacific for seven separate search and rescue cases, involving 10 AMVER vessels and six aircrews resulting in 15 lives saved since March 28.