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Three mariners who have been stranded on a tiny Pacific island for more than a week were rescued in a US Navy and Coast Guard operation after spelling out "Help" on a beach using palm leaves.

The three men were rescued on Pikelot, an uninhabited island which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, on Tuesday evening, according to US Coast Guard officials.

The unidentified men, who are experienced mariners in their 40s and related to one another, had set sail on a fishing voyage on Easter Sunday from Polowat Atoll, around 100 miles away, in a 20-foot open skiff with an outboard motor.
Their boat was caught by massive waves and its outboard motor was subsequently damaged, forcing the trio to scramble ashore.
The search began on Saturday when a woman sent out a distress call to the Coast Guard's Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam, reporting that her three uncles had not returned home after a week has passed.
The US Coast Guard embarked on a search and rescue operation of the Micronesia subregion, which encompassed more than 78,000 square nautical miles, with assistance by the U.S. Navy and regional partners.
A breakthrough came when a Navy aircraft sent by a US air force base in Okinawa, Japan, spotted the trio from the sky on Sunday.

“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.
The next day, a US Coast Guard aircraft crew sent by a military base in Hawaii deployed survival packages to help the mariners, and then dropped a radio to estabish communication.
The men said they were in good health, had access to food and water, and recovered their already damaged skiff, the Coast Guard stated, adding that they "expressed a desire for assistance in returning to Polowat."

They had been living off coconuts while they were stranded, according to Coast Guard officials.
On Tuesday morning, a Coast Guard ship - the USCGC Oliver Henry - arrived at the island and rescued the mariners, then proceeded to return them home.
"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," Lt. Ray Cerrato, commanding officer of USCGC Oliver Henry, said.
Micronesia have more than 600 islands and islets, including Pikelot and Polowat Atoll, that covers the majority of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

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