Manila, Philippines (AHN) – Combined rescue teams from the U.S. and Philippine coast guards found five missing American sailors and their damaged sailboat in waters between the islands of Leyte and Mindanao on Sunday.

The crew and passengers of the catamaran Pineapple missing since Tuesday were unharmed when they were found at 10:50 a.m. near the Hibusan Island in Surigao Strait.

Brandi Pratt, Joe Gamec, Corey Goldhorn, Steven Blanton, and Chris Bell left Guam aboard the Pineapple for Cebu on Jan. 6.

When they did not arrive as scheduled on Jan. 16, their relatives contacted the U.S. Coast Guard in Guam.

The skipper of the Pineapple was also able to call the U.S. Coast Guard via mobile phone and tell the coordinates of the boat.

Planes from the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force then combed 122,600 square nautical miles of the Philippine Sea for 63 hours before spotting the Pineapple. A plane from the Philippine Coast Guard also joined the search on Saturday.

Bad weather damaged the rudder and radio of the catamaran, according to the Coast Guard. The boat also had no long distance communications or emergency distress equipment.

The boat was escorted to Cebu by a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

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