A SHIPWRECKED couple stranded on a deserted island were saved after scrawling a massive HELP sign in the sand.

The hapless pair were stranded among the Percy Islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia, during an ill-fated fishing trip.

5 The giant HELP sign which helped rescue teams find and save the stricken castaways Credit: RACQ CQ Rescue / Twitter

At around 1am on Tuesday a freak storm overwhelmed their dinghy as five-metre high waves rained down upon them, sending them flying into rocks.

The couple dragged themselves out of the water and onto the beach, where they were forced to spend the night.

They scrawled a giant 'HELP' sign on the beach and in the morning they set off their emergency beacon.

Rescue air crewman Quinton Rethus said the helicopter crew was about 20km from the island when they picked up the distress signal and were able to pinpoint the exact location of the beacon thanks to their handmade SOS plea.

5 The couple's dinghy was smashed against rocks when a freak storm created five-foot waves off the coast of Queensland Credit: RACQ CQ Rescue / Twitter

5 The RACQ CQ Rescue team noticed a distress beacon and launched into action Credit: RACQ CQ Rescue / Twitter

The couple were airlifted to safety after spending a total of eight terrifying hours on Ahe Island, 100km south of Mackay.

Writing on Facebook, the rescue team said: "RACQ CQ Rescue today airlifted two unlucky boaties who spent a very wet and uncomfortable night camped on a remote beach after their boat smashed into rocks in a freak storm."

"RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked just after 10am Wednesday to search for an emergency beacon that had been activated in the vicinity of Avoid Island.

"Our crew found the very relieved couple waving from the beach and could clearly see where they had written ‘HELP’ in huge letters in the sand."

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5 The couple were found stranded on the Percy Islands, off the east coast of Australia

Pictures posted to the team's Twitter account clearly show the couple's devastated dinghy and their plea for help scrawled along the beach.

Last year we told of the real-life Robinson Crusoe who has spent 20 years alone on a desert paradise island.

Former millionaire David Glasheen, 73, moved to the idyllic Restoration Island, located off North East Australia, in May 1997 after losing his fortune in the stock exchange crash of 1987.

5 The rescue team posted pics of the couple's island home for 8-hours on its Twitter Credit: RACQ CQ Rescue / Twitter

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