Rescuers Looking For Missing Sailors Spot Crucial 'Hint' On Island
It was a Sunday in August 2020 and clouds partially covered an otherwise blue sky above the scattered islands of Micronesia. Meanwhile, a US Air Force KC-135 tanker powered above this peaceful scene on the look-out for some sailors who had been missing for three days. There were growing concerns the men may have perished; but then, the pilot spotted something unusual on a tiny island and decided to call for help.
Lost At Sea
The sailors had gone missing on July 30, 2020, after having set off from the small atoll of Poluwat. But when they didn’t make it to their destination – the even tinier Pulap Atoll – the three men were reported as lost.
Raising The Alarm
The missing report was instigated the next day, and it was filed by officials on the United States’ Pacific Ocean territory of Guam. Perhaps they were informed of the AWOL sailors by friends or family who were expecting them to return to the Pulap Atoll where they all lived. Nevertheless, whoever first raised the alarm must have been really concerned for their wellbeing.
Natives Of Micronesia
For their part, the lost mariners were all natives of Micronesia. That is the collective name for the over 600 islands and atolls that are scattered across the Caroline Islands archipelago in the western part of the Pacific. For reference, they are located south of Japan and to the north of Papua New Guinea.
Slim Chance Of Survival
The three Micronesian sailors had taken to the western Pacific in a small, skiff-style vessel on that fateful Thursday. But they then disappeared at some point on their journey. And the prospect of them surviving out there for numerous days was quite slim.
