Following their rescue the three men were transported to the neighboring island of Pulap on a small boat Photo by U.S. Navy/Ensign John Knight

They caught the attention of Navy P-8 Madfox 807 aircrew from Misawa Air Base in Japan by standing near the sign and waving their life vests. Photo by U.S. Navy/Ensign John Knight

Three men who were stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island were rescued after constructing a 'Help' sign out of palm fronds. The had been stranded for three days after their vessel became capsized. Photo by U.S. Navy/Ensign John Knight

FANADIK , Micronesia, April 9 (UPI) -- Three men were rescued from a remote island in the Pacific Ocean after the U.S. Coast Guard noticed a distress sign made from palm fronds.

The three men caught the attention of rescuers after being stranded on the small island for three days. They frantically waved their life vests in the air while standing near the sign that read "Help."


The men said they swam about four miles to Fanadik Island, an uninhabited island located in the Federated States of Micronesia, after their 19-foot skiff capsizedon April 4.

A Navy P-8 Madfox 807 aircrew from Misawa Air Base in Japan spotted the men and their make-shift sign on Thursday after they had been reported missing.

After reporting their whereabouts to family and search and rescue watchstanders in Guam, the men were transported to Pulap on a small boat.

"Our combined efforts coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific," Sector Guam public affairs officer Lt. William White said.