14 Jan 2004

19 Mussau islanders missing for a month in Papua New Guinea waters found safe

4:43 pm on 14 January 2004

19 Mussau islanders who went missing last month in the Papua New Guinea waters off New Ireland have been found.

The group - including four children - were found with no serious injuries except sores from wet clothes and weakness from hunger and thirst after spending three weeks adrift.

A Taiwanese fishing vessel picked up the group amid rough seas, low visibility and big waves and took them to Rabaul where they will stay until a ship arrives to return them home tommorrow.