Eight On Life Raft Rescued In Pacific

A tanker guided by a U.S. military plane rescued eight people Friday who had been drifting for a day in the Pacific, their life raft pummeled by high winds and 30-foot seas.

The group, which included a 5-year-old girl, was spotted by a U.S. plane from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, after their U.S.-flagged freighter, Mr. Bill, sank.

Mr. Bill was traveling from Guam to Yap Island, about 700 miles east of the central Philippines, when it began taking on water and its pumps failed.

None of the eight was seriously hurt, said Navy Cmdr. Tim O’Leary.

The life raft was spotted drifting about 100 miles northwest of Yap Island.