Coast Guard, Navy rescue stranded sailors who spelled out ‘help’ on remote island

Apr 12

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

In a fortunate turn of events, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy rescued stranded sailors from a remote Pacific island, missing for over a week and utilizing the island’s resources to signal for help. The sailors, all men in their 40s and said to be related, crafted a “HELP” sign on the beach with palm leaves. The Coast Guard called that a move a crucial factor in their discovery.

On Easter Sunday, their sailboat was damaged, leaving them trapped on an island in the Federated States of Micronesia. On April 6, Joint Rescue Sub-Center (JRSC) Guam received a distress call from a relative reporting her three uncles had not returned from Pikelot Atoll.

Responders successfully located the three mariners on Pikelot Atoll on the evening of Tuesday, April 9.

The Coast Guard then dropped a radio to the men, who reported they were healthy and had survived on coconuts. The rescuers then returned the men and their sailboat safely home 100 nautical miles to Polowat Atoll, Chuuk State.

“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 FSM,” Lt. Cmdr. Christine Igisomar, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were rescued said.

Tags: Navy, U.S. Coast Guard

[KARAH RUCKER]

FINALLY THIS MORNING – IT WAS A CASE OF BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AS THE U.S. COAST GUARD AND THE U.S. NAVY WERE ABLE TO RESCUE SAILORS STRANDED ON A REMOTE PACIFIC ISLAND FOR more than A WEEK. THE SAILORS USING ONLY THE RESOURCES THEY HAD ON THE ISLAND TO ATTRACT ATTENTION.

THE SAILORS – ALL MEN IN THEIR 40S WHO ARE SAID TO BE RELATED – USED PALM LEAVES TO SPELL OUT THE WORD “HELP” ON THE BEACH.

A MOVE BEING CALLED A “CRUCIAL FACTOR IN THEIR DISCOVERY.”

THE SAILORS WERE OUT ON A FISHING TRIP ON EASTER SUNDAY WHEN THEIR SAILBOAT WAS DAMAGED AND THEY BECAME TRAPPED ON THE TINY ISLAND THAT’S PART OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA FOR DAYS.

AFTER RECEIVING A DISTRESS CALL FROM A RELATIVE ON APRIL 6TH, A COAST GUARD AIRCRAFT SPOTTED THE “HELP” SIGN A DAY LATER.

THE COAST GUARD DROPPING A RADIO TO THE MEN WHO SAID THEY WERE IN GOOD HEALTH AND SURVIVING ON COCONUTS.

THE SAILORS WERE RESCUED EARLIER THIS WEEK AND ARE NOW SAFELY BACK HOME.