Three men stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island used palm fronds to spell out "HELP" on the beach, leading to their rescue by Navy and Coast Guard aviators. They had embarked on a fishing trip from Pulawat Atoll, but their boat was damaged when it hit a coral reef. After being reported missing, a search covering 78,000 square miles began, and they were eventually spotted and rescued by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. This is the second such rescue on Pikelot Atoll, with a similar incident occurring in 2020.
Three sailors stranded on a Pacific island were rescued after spelling "help" with palm leaves, guiding rescue efforts to their location. The men, who had been stranded for over a week, were found by a Navy aircraft after a search of over 78,000 square nautical miles. They were in good health and had their damaged boat with them, and were successfully returned to safety.
Three sailors in their 40s were rescued from Pikelot Atoll in the Pacific after being stranded for over a week, having spelled out "HELP" with palm leaves on the beach. The men, on a fishing trip, were reported missing when their boat became non-functional, prompting a search and rescue mission involving the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy. After being located and provided with supplies, they were rescued and returned home, showcasing the strong cooperation between the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Three men stranded on a remote Pacific island were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after using palm leaves to spell out "HELP" on the beach. The men, experienced mariners in their 40s, had set sail from Polowat Atoll and were found on Pikelot, an uninhabited island about 100 miles northwest of their home, after a distress call was sent out by a family member. This is not the first time a rescue has been made from Pikelot involving large letters spelled out in the sand.
Three stranded boaters were rescued from a remote Pacific island after their boat was overtaken by swells, leaving them stranded on Pikelot Atoll. They spelled out "HELP" with palm fronds, leading to their rescue after a Navy P-8A jet spotted the sign. The men subsisted on coconut meat and well water before being returned to safety, with one of the rescuers realizing they were his distant cousins.
Pacific Island leaders warn that the delay in US Congress approving funding for the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau could lead to China exploiting the situation to shift diplomatic alliances in the region away from Taiwan. The COFA agreements provide economic assistance to the Pacific nations in return for exclusive military access to strategic areas. The delay has caused uncertainty and economic exploitation opportunities, with leaders warning that it plays into the hands of China and politicians seeking to accept Chinese inducements. The Biden administration has urged Congress to pass the funding, emphasizing the strategic importance of maintaining alliances in the Pacific.
US President Joe Biden canceled his historic visit to Papua New Guinea, which would have been the first visit by a sitting US president to any Pacific Island nation. The visit was canceled to focus on debt limit talks at home. Papua New Guinea had declared next Monday a public holiday in anticipation of the visit. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will still meet with Pacific Island leaders to discuss ways to better cooperate. The cancellation demonstrated how domestic US politics can undermine the nation’s foreign policy agenda.
