After getting stranded on a tiny island in Micronesia for over a week, three mariners who made a “HELP” sign out of palm leaves were successfully rescued in a joint mission between the US Coast Guard and Navy. 

On April 6, the Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Sub-Center (JRSC) in Guam received a call from a person reporting their three uncles missing.

It turns out, what had begun as an Easter Sunday fishing trip departing from Polowat Atoll going to the waters surrounding Pikelot Island ended up with a damaged boat and an unexpected 9-day stay on this small and uninhabited chunk of land in the Pacific Ocean.

The trio had experience navigating in the area, but the skiff they were using became damaged to the point where the engine no longer worked. They managed to land on the island, where the Smithsonian Magazine reports they took advantage of fresh coconuts and a small well of freshwater to stay fed and hydrated.

But while coconuts might be delicious, the men were clearly not resigned to staying on Pikelot, using palm leaves to spell out the word “HELP” on the beach. Whether or not the idea came because they had that song from Moana stuck in their head, this turned out to be the key to locating the stranded trio.

After receiving their relative’s call, the JRSC began to coordinate a search and rescue operation, though it wasn’t the simplest of missions to get off the ground. Availability of aircraft, operational commitments and weather conditions were all hurdles at the beginning. The initial search area was also over 78,000 square nautical miles.

However, thanks to the helpful “HELP” sign, Navy aircraft managed to spot the mariners on the island on April 7.

"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" said Lt. Chelsea Garcia, who coordinate the mission on the day of location, in a statement.

After deploying survival packages, a radio to communicate, and confirming that the men were all in good health, the USCGC Oliver Henry successfully rescued the trio on the morning of April 9 and took them back to Polowat Atoll.

It’s not the first time missing sailors have been found in such a way – and on the exact same island. Back in 2020, three mariners (another coincidence) stranded on Pikelot were spotted and rescued by the US National Guard after etching out “SOS” on the sand.