Mobissimo

Here's a travel story, of sorts:

HAGATNA, Guam, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lost at sea for more than a month after their boat engine failed, a couple from the Pacific island of Kiribati is finally flying home today (March 1) on Continental Micronesia.

"The story of how this couple survived more than a month at sea is miraculous," said Continental Micronesia Staff Vice President of Marketing and Sales Walter Dias. "It's also a heartwarming story of the warmth and hospitality of the Pacific islanders who took this couple in. Being part of this tradition of hospitality in the islands is why we wanted to help," said Dias.

The couple is leaving Chuuk on their journey home with complimentary air travel provided by Continental Micronesia.

On Dec. 30, 2005, the couple took their 19-foot wooden boat with a 40 h.p. outboard motor from Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati, to an outer island to pick up a relative. Just as they were a few miles away from their relative's island, the outboard motor died. Winds pushed them faraway. The Kiribati government called a search and rescue, but it was not successful.

The couple drifted for more than a month, almost two thousand kilometers from their country of Kiribati. Finally a fishing vessel's helicopter spotted the wooden boat close to the island of Kapingamarangi, south of Pohnpei. The chopper picked up the couple and brought them to the mother ship, which in turn took them to Chuuk, according to Mason Fritz, Director of Chuuk Visitors Bureau, who has been helping to take care of the couple.

Moral of the story? Keep a paddle in your boat next time your'e picking up relatives. Read the whole story here.