Five survivors, including two children, were rescued on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, after drifting for three months in a 20-foot skiff across the South Pacific. Villagers on Fanning Island in Kiribati spotted the group, who had traveled an estimated 3,355 miles from the Federated States of Micronesia. Four other people who were originally on the vessel remain missing.
The group was first reported missing on July 30 after failing to return to Ruo Island in Micronesia following a planned one-hour crossing from Murilo Island. The U.S. Coast Guard in Guam confirmed the skiff had nine people aboard at the time of its disappearance. According to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corp., the vessel was caught in a storm shortly after departure.
Following the disappearance, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a 10-day search that covered 33,000 square miles (85,700 square kilometers). The search was suspended after no signs of the boat or its passengers were found. Upon their rescue on Sunday, the five survivors were treated by nursing officer Paukin Tororo for severe dehydration and malnutrition and were placed on intravenous drips.
Repatriation efforts are being discussed between the governments of Micronesia and Kiribati. Governor Alexander Narruhn of Chuuk state stated on Sunday, Nov. 1, that he has requested the Micronesian president to work with Kiribati to bring the survivors home. The U.S. Coast Guard stated on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that it is continuing to gather information regarding the fate of the four missing passengers. No specific date for the survivors' return home has been reported.