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The U.S. Coast Guard aircrew spotted the seven missing mariners on a deserted Pacific Island on Sunday (November 6).
The Royal Australian Navy had alerted the Coast Guard that their vessel had gone missing. The men, all between the ages of 19 and 30, were en route to Kaven Island but were blown off course.
The crew of the Coast Guard's HC-130 Hercules airplane combed the area beginning on Saturday (November 8) , eventually spotting the men standing on the beach waving palm fronds near a blue vessel on Sunday. Their next step was to hurl rations and other supplies to the men from the back of the aircraft and to liase with the Australian navy about the men's whereabouts.
All seven men were later rescued by the Australian navy. There were no reports of serious illness or injury despite being stranded for nearly a week.
