Three drowned people have been rescued from an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean after more than a week. The trio survived on coconuts and water from a spring on the island. They were found after writing the word “Help” in the sand with palm leaves.

It happened in the waters off Micronesia, a group of islands above Papua New Guinea. The trio was fishing near the uninhabited island when they were hit by a storm. This damaged their boat’s engine. They reached the island while rowing.

After their families tried for several days to no avail, they asked for help. In a search area of ​​more than 100,000 square miles, a US Coast Guard aircraft crew noticed the word “Help” in the sand after days of searching.

A food package was thrown from the plane. The castaways were able to tell them via radio that they were doing well, but needed help to escape.

This is not the first time something like this has happened in the region. Last summer, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a German from a deserted island. He wrote “SOS” in the sand.