Five Rescued After Drifting Three Months Near Kiribati

Five people, including two boys, were rescued near Fanning Island in Kiribati after drifting for about three months in a small skiff, roughly 3,355 miles from where they were last seen in Micronesia. The boat had been carrying nine people and was reported missing on July 30 after failing to reach Ruo Island; a 10-day Coast Guard search found no trace. The five survivors were severely dehydrated and malnourished and received medical care, with local health officials reporting signs of recovery. The fate of the other four people remains unconfirmed. Micronesian and Kiribati officials are working to arrange the survivors’ return, and the survivors have requested privacy.