Fishermen rescued after 90 days adrift

Fishermen rescued after 90 days adrift

AUCKLAND (AFP): Six Indonesians, including a child, have been picked up after three months adrift on the central Pacific, the United States Coastguard said yesterday.

A spokeswoman in Guam said few details were available but confirmed that a seventh person had died.

She said by chance the Japanese fishing boat Yu Sei Maru No 8 came across the drifting boat about 400 kilometers (215 nautical miles) south of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.

It sent a distress call and Thursday night the FSM patrol boat Micronesia picked up the six and was en route for Chuuk.

She said the fishing boat came from Morotai, Indonesia, and was believed to have suffered engine failure.