KIRIBATI — Five people, including two children, have been rescued after spending more than three months stranded at sea in the Pacific Ocean, while the search continues for four other members of their group.
According to a report by TRT Urdu, the survivors were found aboard a six-metre-long boat near Fanning Island, part of the Pacific island nation of Kiribati.
The group of nine had reportedly set out on a sea journey between the Micronesian islands of Murilo and Ruo before encountering a tropical storm in late July. The storm left them stranded at sea, far from their intended destination.
Local villagers rescued the five survivors after the boat was spotted in open waters near Fanning Island.
Search for Four Missing People Continues
The disappearance of the boat was reported on July 30 after the group failed to reach Ruo Island, according to information cited in the report.
The search for the missing vessel had continued for more than three months. Estimates indicated that the boat had drifted approximately 5,400 kilometres east of Micronesia before being located.
The US Coast Guard, based in Guam in the western Pacific, confirmed that the vessel had been reported missing after failing to arrive at its destination.
While the rescue of five people has brought relief, the fate of the remaining four passengers remains unknown. Search efforts are continuing to establish their whereabouts.
The incident highlights the dangers of long-distance travel in the Pacific, where severe weather, vast ocean distances and limited access to assistance can turn a sea journey into a life-threatening emergency.
