CASTAWAYS SAVED BY WRITING “HELP” ON THE BEACH

Three stranded boaters were rescued from a remote Pacific island this week by writing “help” on the beach in palm fronds. The Polynesian men were fishing off the Pikelot Atoll, which is part of Micronesia, on March 31 when their 20-foot skiff was overtaken by swells. (* By a couple of rich people?) The men were forced to abandon ship. Once they made it to the uninhabited island, however, their radio’s battery died. So they used palm fronds to spell out the word “HELP” on the beach. While waiting for a rescue, they ate coconut meat and got fresh water from a small well, which had been installed by fishermen who occasionally stop by the island. A search began a week later, on April 6. A US Navy P-8A jet from the American air base on Okinawa, Japan, spotted the “Help” sign on April 7. The Navy dropped survival packs and a radio. Finally, on Tuesday, April 9, a Coast Guard cutter reached the island and the men were rescued. And, in an amazing coincidence, the first sailor off the Coast Guard ship to meet the men turned out to be a cousin of the three castaways.
* So, a nice happy ending. Until they get the bill for the rescue.
* The men hope to return to the island one day to retrieve their volleyball friend.
* They wanted to spell “Help, we are stranded on this island” but they needed the fronds for the roofs of their huts.
* Palm fronds are so last week. We’re now on to sticks and rocks.
* I just hope they used that radio to tune in to (your station).