Stranded sailors rescued after making ‘HELP’ sign with leaves

A sign calling for “HELP” made from palm tree leaves saved a crew of sailors who had been stranded on a tiny atoll in the Pacific Ocean for more than a week, after it was spotted it from the air.

Three men were found Tuesday evening on the minute Pikelot Atoll, which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia. They had been living on coconuts.

The trio, who have not been identified but are all in their 40s and related to one another, used palm tree branches to make their desperate plea. They were rescued after coordination by the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in the region and the U.S Navy.

The sailors had traveled on Easter Sunday from Polowat Atoll, around 115 miles away, in a traditional 20-foot skiff with an outboard motor, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam got a distress call from a women who said her three uncles were missing and they had not returned from Pikelot Atoll.

The initial search area was more than 78,000 square nautical miles. Only the sailors’ palm tree sign alerted authorities to their whereabouts, when a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircraft spotted it from the sky.

“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. This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location,” Lt. Chelsea Garcia said in a statement.

“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,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christine Igisomar, who coordinated the rescue mission.

Pikelot Atoll is an uninhabited coral island about 415 miles southeast of Guam that is occasionally visited by fishing boats. An expedition of Micronesian sailors found an abandoned makeshift Catholic chapel there in 2000.

The rescue operation was hindered by poor weather and a lack of planes, the Coast Guard said. “Persistent efforts” eventually saw the USCGC Oliver Henry, already at sea in Micronesia, diverted to join the rescue.

Micronesia is a collection of about 600 islands that cover a huge expanse of the Pacific.

The plane dropped survival packages and a radio onto the island while the USCGC Oliver Henry was diverted to pick them up.

Using the radio, the sailors said they were in “good health, had access to food and water, and recovered their skiff, which unfortunately sustained damage, rendering it and its outboard engine non-functional,” the Coast Guard said.

After they were rescued the trio were taken back to Polowat.

“Whether we’re out there protecting valuable resources or saving lives, we’re not just visitors — we’re members of this vibrant maritime community that connects all these islands,” said Lt. Ray Cerrato, the commanding officer of USCGC Oliver Henry.

This is not the first time authorities have rescued sailors stranded on the island. In 2020 another three Micronesians were found on Pikelot by the Australian Defense Force, after they spelled out “SOS” using palm tree leaves.

The Coast Guard added that every who goes to sea should carry an emergency position indicating radio beacon, which in some places are available to rent.