“HELP” sign on deserted beach works

It did not work for Gilligan and the Skipper, but writing “HELP” with palm fronds on the beach got three men rescued from a deserted island in the Pacific.

A Navy P-8 Madfox 807 aircrew from Misawa Air Base in Japan was conducting a search pattern for the missing mariners when they spotted survivors holding lifejackets and their makeshift sign. This information was relayed back to search and rescue watchstanders in Guam and shared with the family. The survivors were then picked up and transferred by a local small boat to Pulap.

Update: A woman in Arizona was rescued a few days ago in part because of a HELP sign she wrote with sticks.

(via @mchamblin)