In brief

• Five survivors, including two children, were found on a drifting boat off Fanning Island in Kiribati.
• The nine-person group left Murilo on July 30 for a short crossing and was blown off course by a storm.
• A US Coast Guard search lasting about ten days was suspended in August.

Rescue after a storm

The group of nine set out on July 30 from Murilo for a crossing to Ruo in Micronesia, a trip meant to take about an hour. A storm pushed their boat off course, and they drifted for roughly three months. (Pazifik: Fünf Schiffbrüchige nach drei Monaten auf hoher See gerettet – DER SPIEGEL) (Двоих взрослых и троих детей, дрейфовавших три месяца, спасли в Тихом океане – mail.ru)

Search called off

US Coast Guard crews searched for about ten days using US Navy and US Air Force aircraft before suspending the search in August.

Found by villagers

Residents of Fanning Island spotted the drifting boat on Sunday, November 1, and brought the five survivors aboard. (Daily Mail сообщила о спасении дрейфовавших три месяца в Тихом океане людей – iz.ru) (Три месяца люди дрейфовали в Тихом океане, преодолев около 5,4 тысяч км – mk.ru)

Current condition

The survivors are receiving medical care and are under the care of a local pastor. Authorities plan to move them to an island with better infrastructure. (Пять человек спасены после трехмесячного дрейфа в Тихом океане - Новости на Вести.ru – vesti.ru)

Missing passengers

The fate of the other four people on board is unknown. The survivors have not yet publicly described how they stayed alive at sea.