Dramatic Photos Show Rescue of Real-Life Castaways on Desert Island

Three fishermen are lucky to be alive after being rescued from a remote Pacific island earlier this week. With the help of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, the mariners were found on the deserted island of Pikelot in the Federated States of Micronesia after a week of living a real-life version of Cast Away. 

According to a U.S. Coast Guard statement, the three men were planning to fish around the Pikelot Atoll on March 31 when their boat motor was damaged by waves. They landed on the uninhabited island of Pikelot but were unable to call for help as their radio ran out of battery. So they had to improvise, creating signs on the beach with palm fronds reading “Help” in the hope that they’d be spotted from the sky. 

Finally, after they spent a week surviving off coconut meat and fresh water from a well, a U.S. Navy jet saw the castaways on April 7 and sent down a radio to establish communications and survival packs to sustain them until they could be rescued. Authorities quickly started working to save them from their scary and isolating situation. 

Lt. Chelsea Garcia, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day they were located, expressed her admiration for the castaways’ smart thinking in a statement. 

“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,” she said. 

U.S. Coast Guard rescuing castaways on Micronesian island of Pikelot. 

U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia

The rescue mission turned into an unexpected family reunion. One of the rescuers was Officer Eugene Halishlius, who himself is Micronesian. The fishermen, then, were surprised to see that one of their saviors could communicate with them. 

“I could see on their faces, ‘Whoa! Who’s this guy pulling up that can speak our language?'” Halishlius told CNN. One of the fishermen was shocked when he learned Halishlius’ first name. 

“It’s a crazy world; I actually found out I’m related to them!” Halishlius said. The first man he rescued was his third cousin, while the others were fourth cousins. “He couldn’t believe I’m with the Coast Guard trying to rescue them,” he added. 

It’s not the first time people have been rescued from Pikelot, but it certainly could make for a gripping Cast Away-like movie.