There were some nice comments in other articles but missed in this one. One of the boys families on hearing they were alive and well broke into singing..some thing the island people do beautifully. Also that when they got home they would be welcomed with a feast as that is how they celebrate there..a nice story of tragedy turned into celebration

Teens put to sea in pursuit of love.

Somewhere on the tiny atoll of Fakaofo is the face that launched a tiny outboard powered dinghy. Three lovesick teenage boys rescued after 50 days adrift in the South Pacific have reached dry land, gaunt, ill and lucky to be alive. Samuelu Peleha (also known as Sam Perez) and Filo Filo, both 15, and Etueni (or Edward) Nasau, 14, disappeared from Tokelau's Atafu Island on October 5 An extensive search by a RNZAF Orion failed to find them, but on Wednesday a New Zealand fishing boat spotted the trio in their tiny aluminium dinghy, which they had stolen to sail to the neighbouring atoll Fakaofo in search of a girl who had caught their eye. They drifter 1300 kilometres off course and surviced on just a few coconuts and a seagull before tuna boat San Nikunau picked them up. They arrived at the Fijian Navy Base in Suva yesterday and needed to be assisted ashore. They were all on IV drips and one boy appeared to collapse into an ambulance before being taken to Suva's Colonial War Memorial Hospital, where they remained last night. A New Zealand High Commission spokeswoman, who met the boys off the boat at 3pm yesterday, said they did not say a word on emerging. "They were just really weak and look relieved to be on land." Extended family members of the trio, resident in Suva, visited the boys in hospital. Tokelau - a nation of 1200 people on three atolls - is celebrating the rescue, but the trio will face hard questions when they return home to Atafu atoll. Locals familiar with what happened said the ill fated adventure was sparked during an island sports competition, hosted by the boys atoll, Atafu, in October. Among the visitors was a girl from the neighbouring atoll Fakaofo, who captured the eye of one of the boys. She sailed home after the tournament, leaving the boys to mourn her departure. Sometime after midnight, emboldened with alcohol, they decided to take the islands newest small boat and head to their true love, 200km to the outh. They had a couple of sacks of coconuts, some beer and a fuel tank. Their cousin and Atafu representative, Kuresa Nasau, siad nobody saw them go but it would not have been thought unusual if they were spotted. "Young kids go out fishing all the time, nobody questions that. "They were seen at midnight and nobody suspected they were going to take off." San Nikunau first mate, Tai Fredricsen, of the Bay of Islands, said it was a miracle the tuna boat found the boys. "We saw a small vessell, a ittle speedboat on our bows, and we knew it was a little weird," he said. The boys started waving so the vessell pulled up beside them, he said. "I....asked them if they needed any help they said, 'very much so'. They were ecstatic to see us." The boys were skinny but in good physical health. "They are incredibly good shape for the time they have been at sea. "omehow they caught a bird....they ate it, that is what is recommended." The boys had started drinking sea water in the days before they were rescued and probably would have only survived for a few more days Fredricsen said. Nasau said he had heard the rumours about the late night love quest and the boys would have some questions to answer when they got back. "I heard there was some alcohol involved. I will investigate but all I was concerned about was their safety." The boys will head to Samoa when they are well - hopefully tomorrow - where they will have to wait for the next boat home on December 16. ENDS

I mean really, alcohol, coconuts, fuel tank, an aluminium dingy, a 200 km journey and of course why it all happened, Love.

Submitted on 11/26/2010

Submitted by: Andy Watson, New Zealand
Reference: The Press, New Zealand 27/11/2010

Copyright © 2010 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
We occasionally get stories about "saps at sea", and this one made me laugh! Coconuts and beer for a hundred mile open ocean voyage? Couldn't the lovesick lads just asked the girl for her phone number? BTW seagulls (the one bird they caught) are considered all but inedible, and are better used as fish bait!

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Alcohol tends to throw good sense out the window...

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