Three Men Rescued Off Island Due to Beach 'HELP' Sign
By Nadine Yousif, BBC News
Three men were rescued by the US Coast Guard off an island in Micronesia after they sent out a plea for "HELP" using palm tree leaves.
They spelled out "HELP" with the leaves, which led to the rescue nine days after they left on a sailing trip.
They had been reported missing after failing to return from a journey to Pikelot Atoll - an uninhabited coral island about 415 miles from Guam.
It is the second time in four years people were rescued from the island.
The Coast Guard said in a statement that the three experienced mariners, all unnamed men in their 40s, had embarked on their sailing trip from Polowat Atoll - an island that is a part of the Federated States of Micronesia.
They departed on Easter Sunday for Pikelot Atoll, about 115 miles away, in a traditional 20-foot skiff with an outboard motor, the Coast Guard added.
After failing to return, a relative of the men alerted the Coast Guard's Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam that her three uncles were missing, sparking a search and rescue mission.
First responders were initially searching an area that was more than 78,000 square nautical miles in poor weather conditions. But then they spotted the men from the air - thanks to the makeshift "HELP" sign.
"In a remarkable testament to their will to be found, the mariners spelled out 'HELP' on the beach using palm leaves, a crucial factor in their discovery," said Lt Chelsea Garcia, who led the search and rescue mission the day they were located.
"This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location," she said.
Coast Guard personnel then airdropped survival packages and a radio to the men while a US Coast Guard vessel made its way to the island.
The mariners later radioed back and said they were in good health and had access to food and water, the US Coast Guard said.
They also had recovered their skiff, which sustained damage that rendered it non-functional, and said they needed help getting back to Polowat.
After departing on their voyage on 31 March, the sailors were officially rescued off the island on 9 April.The US Coast Guard said the rescue is an example of the strong coordination between the US and the Federal States of Micronesia, as well as US Navy personnel who are stationed in the area.
Micronesia, in the western Pacific, consists of some 600 tiny islands scattered over a vast ocean expanse.
"Every life saved, and every mariner returned home is a testament to the enduring partnership and mutual respect that characterizes our relationship," said Lt Cdr Christine Igisomar, who was also part of the search and rescue mission.
Though uninhabited, Pikelot Atoll is often temporarily visited by hunters and fishermen. It has also been the site of another rescue in recent years.
In 2020, three Micronesian mariners were saved - by the Australian Defense Force - after spelling out "SOS" on the beach.