3 men rescued from Pacific island after writing SOS in sand

Three men have been rescued from a tiny Pacific island after writing a giant SOS sign in the sand that was spotted from above, authorities say. The men had been missing in the Micronesia archipelago for nearly three days when their distress signal was spotted Sunday on uninhabited Pikelot Island. The men had apparently set out from Pulawat atoll in a 7-meter boat on July 30 and had intended to travel about 43 kilometers to Pulap atoll when they sailed off course and ran out of fuel. The men were found in good condition, and an Australian military helicopter was able to land on the beach and give them food and water. A Micronesian patrol vessel was due to pick them up. SOS is an internationally recognized distress signal that originates from Morse code.