Castaways Rescued After Spelling Out 'HELP' In Palm Fronds

Three men stranded on a Pacific Island have been rescued after hatching resourceful plan that seems like it’s straight off of “Gilligan’s Island.”

The trio became stranded on Monday after a wave swamped their 19-foot skiff, which had set out from the Micronesian island of Pulap. They then swam to the uninhabited Fanadik Island, about 2,600 miles southwest of Honolulu, CNN reports.

They were there for three days until a Navy aircrew searching for the missing seamen spotted a large makeshift sign that spelled out “HELP” in palm fronds, according to a US Coast Guard statement.

Though the rescue has been getting attention largely due to a photo featuring the message, Coast Guard spokesman Lt. William White told ABC News it was actually a fire the men made that first caught rescuers' attention.

The successful rescue effort was a collaboration between the Coast Guard, Navy and vessels participating in the Automated Mutual-Assistance Rescue System -- a Coast Guard-sponsored voluntary network of ships that participate in search-and-rescues.