Three mariners stranded on a remote Pacific ocean islet for over a week have been rescued by the US Navy and Coast Guard.
The mission was sparked after the trio used palm fronds to spell out "HELP" on the shore of the Micronesian island, named Pikelot Atoll.
Surprisingly, the ordeal also turned into a reunion of some family members.
The three men first became stranded during a fishing trip, after they planned to fish the waters surrounding the islet on March 31.
However, these plans changed when their 6.09m open skiff was hit by swells and the outboard motor became damaged, according to the US Coast Guard.
The group reportedly scrambled ashore the uninhabited 12 hectare island, and their radio ran out of power before they could use it to call for help.
The US Coast Guard said the men lived on coconut meat and a fresh water well on the island. It is sometimes used by fishermen in the region.
One of the men's relatives called rescue officials in Guam, which is a US Pacific territory. They reportedly said they had not come back to Polowat Atoll, the island ore than 160km away, where they first began their voyage.
Pikelot, part of the Federated States of Micronesia, is part of a nation located between Hawaii and the Phillipines. CNN reported it is made up of more than 600 islands which stretches across 2.5 million square kilometres of ocean.
The search spanned a 266,768 square kilometre area.
The mariners spelling of the word "HELP" on the island's beach was labelled as a "crucial" factor in their discovery, according to the US Coastguard.
“This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location,” the search and rescue mission coordinator Lt. Chelsea Garcia said in a statement.
The navy jet which spotted the group dropped survival packs to the stranded men and relayed their location to the rescue centre.
The next day, the coast guard were able to drop a radio to the men, who reportedly said they were eager to be rescued and in good shape.
According to CNN, the story took another twist when it turned into an unexpected family reunion.
US Coast petty officer 2nd class Eugene Halishlius told CNN: "I could see on their faces, ‘Whoa! Who’s this guy pulling up that can speak our language?"
It was after arriving and exchanging names one of the castaways realised they were related.
“It’s a crazy world, I actually found out I’m related to them,” said Halishlius.
“He couldn’t believe I’m with the Coast Guard trying to rescue them.”
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