Rip Current in Guam, January 21, 1999

On the 21st three people nearly drowned in strong currents in Asan. Pete Michael, 20, Miko Sally, 19 andJack Jedro, 13 were spear fishing along the beach north of the old Shelton Music Company Store around 1230. An off duty firefighter, Mark Teraje, was driving home and noticed the people in the water. He notified 911. As the brothers swam they drifted into a channel with a strong current in it. After the rescue units arrived, Terlaje and two other firefighters (Matt Quinata and Rafael Mesa) went into the water with ropes tied around their waist while other rescue workers hung onto the rope from the shore. The three were eventually pulled to shore.An unrelated, but interesting weather event. On the 25th a group of fishing vessels departed Chuuk in the morning. A heavy rain squall and six to eight fodder seas at about 1700 caused one boat to become segregated from the rest. Three men (Isajas Rukono, 30, Eiki Suzuki, 18, and Estanis Reyes, 30) were only on a 19 foot skiff with only a 40 horsepower motor with forty gallons of fuel and enough food and water to last only one day. The three men survived for a few days on just the one days ration. They made it to Tamatam Island on Pulap Atoll around 1030 on the 29th.The men were weak from hunger, but otherwise in good shape. The ship Micro Trader went to pick up the men and return them to Chuuk.