P-8A maritime reconnaissance aircraft locates two mariners stranded on Micronesian island

Two stranded mariners were located on an uninhabited island in the Federated States of Micronesia after a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft joined a Coast Guard rescue mission.

The U.S. Navy shared photos on August 25 of a man and a woman standing on the island beach where they had earlier written “SOS” in the sand.

The P-8A crew flew in support of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam after oil tanker British Mariner reported light signals from an uninhabited island in the state of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).

According to the U.S. Navy, FSS Palikir a patrol boat from Federated States of Micronesia has been sent to conduct rescue operations.

U.S. Navy’s P-8A Patrol Squadron VP-8 is based in Jacksonville, Florida and is currently on a routine deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.