Three castaways spent a week on a remote Pacific island, rescued by a 'HELP' sign

(Patria) - Three castaways stranded on a deserted island in the western Pacific Ocean were rescued after a week, when a US Navy plane searching for them spotted a "HELP" sign they had written on the sandy beach with palm branches.

The men, in their 40s, were found alive and well on Tuesday on the uninhabited islet of Pikelot, which is covered with palm trees and located 667 miles southeast of Guam, the US Coast Guard announced yesterday.

Their identities and nationalities have not yet been revealed.

The trio's ordeal began on Easter when they set out on a six-meter open boat trip with an outboard motor from the atoll of Polowat, about 100 nautical miles east of where they were found, the Coast Guard said.

Six days later, after the experienced sailors did not return, their niece informed the authorities, and the Coast Guard and Navy began a search.

A day later, a US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft spotted the "HELP" sign written with palm leaves and initiated a rescue operation, the Coast Guard said.

"This ingenious act was crucial in guiding the rescue operation directly to their location," said US Coast Guard Lieutenant Chelsea Garcia.

While stranded on the island, which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, the men had access to food and water. They also managed to salvage their damaged boat.

The New York Times reported that this is not the first time castaways have been rescued from this island. About four years ago, three missing sailors were found after they wrote "SOS" in the sand.