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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 24, 2009

7 on missing boat near Chuuk found safe


Advertiser Staff

Seven people who were reported missing in a skiff near Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia were found safe, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The seven were reported missing Friday in a 19-foot fiberglass boat from Chuuk. They were found yesterday in the Hall Islands, about 70 miles away, the Coast Guard said.
The skiff was reported missing at about noon Friday and the Coast Guard sent a C-30 search plane from Barbers Point and a Navy P-3 Orion was dispatched from Guam.
The Coast Guard said that a private vessel bound for Fananu spotted the missing boat at about 4 p.m. Saturday and began to tow the vessel and its crew of seven. But the Good Samaritan vessel encountered engine problems and by the time it was able to restart its engine early Sunday morning the vessel was gone.
A search for the skiff and passengers began this morning, but was called off this afternoon when the seven people were reported safe in the Hall Islands, the Coast Guard said.