US Navy and Coast Guard's 'HELP' Signal Leads to Dramatic Rescue of Castaways

A group of three mariners were saved by a joint US Navy and Coast Guard operation on Tuesday. They had been stuck on a small Pacific Ocean islet for over a week. The trio managed to attract attention by spelling out "HELP" with palm fronds on the white-sand beach.

In a surprising turn of events, the rescue mission also led to a heartwarming family reunion.

Three men were planning to fish in the waters around the Pikelot Atoll, which is part of Micronesia, on March 31. Unfortunately, their 20-foot open skiff was caught by swells and its outboard motor was damaged, as reported by US Coast Guard officials.

After the incident, they managed to scramble ashore on uninhabited Pikelot. However, their radio ran out of battery power before they could call for help.

The castaways on the 31-acre island gathered palm fronds and used them to spell out "HELP" on the beach. They then waited for assistance, as stated by the Coast Guard.

The names of the stranded men have not been disclosed by the Coast Guard, and efforts by CNN to reach out to their relatives have not received any responses.

The men survived on coconut meat for a week. Luckily, they had access to fresh water from a small well on the island. This well is occasionally visited by fishers in the region, according to Coast Guard officials.

Pikelot Island is seen in a photo taken in 2020 by a Hawaii Air National Guard plane during a search operation.

Pikelot Island is seen in a photo taken in 2020 by a Hawaii Air National Guard plane during a search operation.

Master Sgt. Richard Ebensberger/Handout/US Coast Guard

The search for the missing men began on April 6th after a relative contacted rescue officials in Guam. The men had not returned to Polowat Atoll, an island over 100 miles away, where they started their voyage on Easter Sunday.

Piklelot is extremely remote, located in the Federated States of Micronesia. This Pacific nation is situated between the Philippines and Hawaii and consists of over 600 islands spread across approximately 2.5 million square kilometers of ocean.

The Coast Guard reported that a US Navy P-8A reconnaissance jet from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, discovered a "HELP" sign made of palm fronds on the beach on April 7.

Lt. Chelsea Garcia, who was coordinating the search-and-rescue mission when the three individuals were found, emphasized the importance of the sign in locating them within a search area spanning over 103,000 square miles.

Garcia stated that the act of ingenuity played a crucial role in helping rescue teams locate the three men directly. The Navy jet not only dropped survival packs to the men but also communicated their exact location to the rescue center.

A day after the men were stranded, a Coast Guard HC-130 flew from Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii and dropped a radio to them. The men were able to communicate to the crew that they were doing well and were ready to be rescued and brought back to Polowat.

The situation took a different turn when the Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry arrived at Pikelot on April 9.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Eugene Halishlius was one of the initial rescuers who arrived at the beach. The stranded men were taken aback to discover that Halishlius was a Micronesian and could speak the local language.

US Coast Petty Officer 2nd Class Eugene Halishlius is from Micronesia.

US Coast Guard Forces Micronesia

Halishliustold CNN in an interview from the Oliver Henry, which was at sea on Thursday after dropping the men off at Polowat, that he could see on their faces, ‘Whoa! Who’s this guy pulling up that can speak our language?’

When he gave his name to the first of the stranded men to reach the rescue boat, the castaway was stunned to discover that they were related.

“It’s a crazy world, I actually found out I’m related to them!” Halishlius said.

“He couldn’t believe I’m with the Coast Guard trying to rescue them.”

The man was a third cousin, the others fourth cousins, he said.

Amazingly, this was not the first rescue of castaways from Pikelot.

In 2020, three men traveling from one Micronesian atoll to another ran out of fuel and ended up stranded on an island.

They wrote "SOS" on the beach, which was seen by a US Air Force tanker crew from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The crew then alerted the Coast Guard and Australian naval units to rescue the stranded men.

How does this happen on the same island twice in four years?

“It could be coincidence,” said Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, public affairs officer for US Coast Guard Forces Micronesia.

The people of Micronesia are known for their frequent travels between islands, showcasing their skill and experience. However, accidents can still occur during these journeys. Surprisingly, unexpected family reunions can also take place.

Editor's P/S:

The heartwarming tale of the mariners' rescue and unexpected family reunion on Pikelot Island is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community. The men's ingenuity in crafting the "HELP" sign and their determination to survive against the odds are inspiring. Moreover, the serendipitous connection between Petty Officer Halishlius and the castaways adds a touch of emotional depth to the story, highlighting the interconnectedness of Micronesian society.

This incident also underscores the importance of collaboration and international cooperation in search and rescue operations. The joint efforts of the US Navy and Coast Guard, along with the assistance of the Australian Air Force in the previous rescue, demonstrate the value of shared resources and expertise in safeguarding lives at sea. The fact that Pikelot Island has witnessed two successful rescues in recent years suggests that the region may require additional navigation aids or surveillance measures to prevent future incidents.