Coast Guard Saves Family Lost at Sea for a Week

A week-long search for a family missing in the western Pacific ended with good news: all three individuals have been found alive and rescued by the US Coast Guard, according to a statement. The two men and one woman vanished March 30 after leaving Fananu Island in Micronesia on a 23-foot skiff bound for nearby Murillo Island; their boat never arrived after its engine failed, officials said, per CBS News. At one point, the predicted search area covered more than 14,000 square nautical miles of rough seas, with waves up to 10 feet, according to USCG.

Diverting from a patrol mission to join the search on Sunday, Coast Guard cutter Midgett located the skiff under dark skies off Chuuk State the following day. Midgett's commanding officer, Capt. Brian Whisler, said he "could not be prouder" of bridge watchstanders, who "spotted the small skiff in rough seas just after midnight," per Military.com. All three survivors were uninjured and taken to shore to be reunited with loved ones. Photos released by USCG show the tearful reunion, as well as the vessel's discovery. US Ambassador Jennifer Johnson called the mission a demonstration of US-Micronesia cooperation that delivers "real, life-saving outcomes."