Couple Shipwrecked Overnight Rescued After Writing 'HELP' in the Sand

A couple shipwrecked on a deserted island were rescued after scrawling “HELP” in the sand.

The couple from Clairview in Queensland, Australia, had spent a night camped on a remote island aptly named Avoid Island before rescue teams saw their make-shift call for help and airlifted them to safety.

“Our crew found the very relieved couple waving from the beach and could clearly see where they had written ‘HELP’ in huge letters in the sand,” RACQ CQ Rescue wrote on Facebook.

The pair had gone on a fishing trip earlier this week, when they encountered a storm early Tuesday morning, with waves nearly 17 feet high.

They attempted to take shelter and anchor their boat down, but they were thrown overboard, and were washed ashore along with their boat, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported.

RACQ CQ Rescue helicopters spotted their distress signal written on the sand eight hours later.

According to AMSA, the couple was unharmed upon rescue.

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