A huge SOS sign they had written in the beach sand led to the rescue of three men stranded on an island, after it was spotted from above. The men had been missing in the Micronesia archipelago for three days.

Al Arabiyya reports that their distress signal was spotted Sunday on an uninhabited island by US and Australian search and rescue teams from their aircraft.

The men had apparently set out from Pulawat atoll in a 7-meter boat on July 30 for Pulap atoll 43 kilometres away. However, they sailed off course, eventually running out of fuel. The men were found about 190 kilometres from Pulawat atoll.

According to Al Arabiyya, searchers in Guam had asked Australia for help. A military ship, the Canberra, was returning to Australia from exercises in Hawaii, and diverted to the area.

An Australian military helicopter landed on the beach and supplied food and water to the men, who were found in a good condition. A Micronesian patrol vessel was subsequently sent to pick them up.

Umm Muhammed Umar