Boat rescue near Fanning Island, Kiribati
The gist
Villagers on Fanning Island in Kiribati rescued five people, including two children, from a skiff adrift an estimated 5,400 kilometers.
Four of the nine who set out from Micronesia in July remain missing.
How it unfolded
- Jul 30, 2026Nine people set off in a 20-foot skiff on a one-hour crossing between Murilo and Ruo islands in the Federated States of Micronesia and were caught in a storm. The skiff was reported missing after failing to return to Ruo Island.
- Aug 9, 2026The U.S. Coast Guard in Micronesia suspended its search after 10 days, covering 25,000 nautical miles with U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft and roughly 33,000 square miles without any sign of the boat or those aboard.
- Nov 1, 2026Villagers on Fanning Island in Kiribati spotted the drifting boat and rescued five people, including two children, who had drifted an estimated 5,400 kilometers (3,355 miles) east from Micronesia. Photos and videos of the five were posted online shortly after they were brought ashore.