Three Men Stranded on Remote Island for Days Rescued

After a wave toppled their 19-foot skiff, three men were forced to swim ashore to the uninhabited Micronesian island of Fanadik, several hundred miles north of Papa New Guinea.

When they didn’t show up at their destination of Weno, another Micronesian island, their families reported them missing.

The men spent three days stranded on Fanadik before a U.S. Navy plane spotted their makeshift help sign created out of palm fonds. They also stood waving their bright orange life-vests.

According to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard Hawaii Pacific, the men swam nearly two miles at night to find safety. Once they arrived at the island, they started building their sign.

After reporting them missing on Tuesday, two cargo ships searched a total of 17 hours and covered 178 miles, but it wasn’t until a plane set out that they were spotted.

When they were found Thursday morning, a boat took them to the hospital, though no injuries were reported, according to Yahoo!

“Our combined efforts coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific,” Lt. William White, Sector Guam public affairs officer, said in a statement.

At least these men will have a fun story to tell at parties.