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The US Coast Guard rescued three Cuban nationals stranded on a desert island for about five weeks, after officers saw the group waving a makeshift flag to get their attention.
The group, made up of two men and a woman, had been living on an uninhabited Bahamian island, Anguilla Cay, for 33 days after their boat capsized.
The US Coast Guard found them while on a routine mission from the Florida Keys and told the Florida Sun Sentinel that the group lived off coconuts, conchs and rats on the island.
“We were alerted by the flags they actually had in addition to a big cross that they put up there for themselves,” helicopter pilot Mike Allert told the TV station. Miami WPLG.
The pilot said he then decided to return around Anguilla Cay to investigate and that a crew returned to the island later Monday to drop water, food and a radio.
A helicopter crew returned on Tuesday to pick them up.
Coast Guard officials said the group told them their boat capsized in rough waters and they were able to swim to the island.
“Being in these difficult times for a long time, they were very happy to see us,” Allert told Good Morning America on ABC.
It was not immediately clear whether these were migrants attempting to come to the United States or whether they were simply lost at sea, Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Murray told the South Florida SunSentinel.
They were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center, where none appeared to have been seriously injured.
The group had also built a temporary shelter for themselves, a Coast Guard official said.
“I don’t remember a time when we saved people who were stranded for over a month on an island. This is new to me. “
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