‘SOS’ in sand leads to rescue of 2 people stranded on island

Two missing boaters stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island were rescued on Friday after a US Navy aircraft spotted a sign they carved in the sand that read “SOS”.

However they didn’t arrive and rescuers received a report about them missing on August 19.

During the flyover, crew spotted the “SOS” sign on the beach and the survivors nearby.

After panicking, you’d probably draw a giant “SOS” in the sand, hoping someone will see it, and then maybe attempt to build a fire and pray for your life.

When they did not reach their destination, the search to find them started, which included 14 vessels, two aircraft crews and one police patrol boat. The men were stranded on Fanadik for three days before being rescued by the US Navy.

“The Search and Rescue Operation for Linus and Sabina Jack has been successfully completed”, the embassy posted on Facebook Thursday.

The searchers had their work cut out for them.

Two bulk carriers searched a combined 17 hours for the men as part of AMVER, a US Coast Guard voluntary search and rescue program.

“They are found and are waiting for a ship to take them home”.

It is the second similar rescue in the region in recent months.

Linus and Sabina Jack, who are both in their 50s, were stranded on the uninhabited Micronesian island of East Fayu for more than seven days before being saved Friday, reports the BBC.

Using palm leaves, the en made a giant “Help” sign in the sand and used their lifejackets to signal. No injuries were reported.