Over here: The view from the rescue helicopter shows the SOS on a sand bar near Mackay, Queensland (Picture: EPA)

Writing SOS in the sand really does get you rescued.

Five castaways stranded on a desert island were saved when a helicopter spotted their giant distress plea on a remote outcrop 30km (20 miles) off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

The holidaymakers had set off from the resort island of Keswick earlier that day and stopped at the archipelago for a rest after a morning spent snorkelling.

To their horror, they became stuck when their boat came loose from its moorings and floated away.


‘I happened to look back and saw the boat drifting, so I sprinted off down the sandbar, threw my hat and shoes off and tried to swim out to the boat… but we were marooned,’ castaway Craig Gilbert told Australian TV.



Their mobiles, sun tan lotion and supplies were in the six-metre vessel, leaving them with no way of getting help.

After nine hours, a rescue helicopter spotted the SOS and winched them to safety on Monday.

Mr Gilbert added: ‘The fortunate part was we spent our ordeal on one of the most magical spots in the world’.