Five people including two children are rescued after three months adrift in the Pacific having been blown off course in small boat
Five people, including two children, have been rescued after drifting in the Pacific for three months after their small boat was blown off course.
The survivors were part of a group of nine, who in late July set off from the island of Murilo in Micronesia for what was meant to be a one-hour crossing to neighbouring island Ruo.
But they were caught up in a storm, which pushed them off course, leaving them drifting 3,400 miles towards Fanning Island in Kiribati, where they were spotted by locals three months later.
The group of five were rescued on Sunday and are currently being cared for by the pastor of one of the local churches.
MP Kaotitaake Rakoroa said: ‘The group has already been treated by our medical officials on the island.’
He recommended they be urgently transferred to Kirimati Island – the closest urban centre – for medical treatment.
Five people, including two children, have been rescued after drifting in the Pacific for three months
The group was rescued near Fanning Island (pictured) after being spotted by locals
The US Coast Guard in Micronesia, which had been searching for the group, previously suspended the search on August 9, after having covered 25,000 nautical miles.
The five survivors have not publicly spoken about their experience and have asked for their privacy to be respected.
Micronesian politician Alexander Narruhn released a statement on Sunday evening thanking God for their survival.
‘There were nine people aboard the boat that went missing. Thanks be to God for his love and mercy that five of the nine people have been found,’ he said.
‘We continue to pray for their four companions,’ he added.
He said he had asked Micronesia’s president to begin diplomatic talks with the Kiribati government to bring the survivors home.
It is unknown what happened to the other four who were on the boat.
In recent months, several people have gone missing in the area after their boats were blown off course by strong winds.
Just last week, 18-year-old Luka Rahan from Papua New Guinea was rescued between the islands of Tarawa and Maiana after drifting for 41 days.
He and his cousin had set out on a fishing trip in September in Bougainville, but had engine trouble and drifted more than 1200 miles to Kiribati. His cousin did not survive.
And in October, three other Bougainvilleans returned home after drifting at sea for about 70 days. They were also found near Kiritimati Island.
