A 45-year-old woman, 22-year-old man and a six-year-old girl have cheated death after drifting in the open sea for weeks.

Ms Elise (45), Mr Kevin (22) and little Dursela (6) believed to be from Makira/Ulawa province were rescued by a Korean Fishing vessel on Monday this week.

Report stated that the trio were then transferred to another fishing boat called FV Hanara which was heading to Honiara for transhipment.

According to Ms Lindsay Keliara, an Inspector and Compliance officer of the Ministry of Fisheries and Research, the FV Joon Discover rescued the trio but since the ship was still on it fishing operation, they transferred the survivors to FV Hanara – a fishing vessel scheduled to undergo transhipment process in Honiara.

She said that transfer took place at Latitude S11-30 and Longitude E162-11.

Ms Keliara told this paper that FV Hanara reached Honiara Sea Port yesterday and the survivors were picked up by their relatives.

Ms Keliara said the survivors already left FV Hanara when her team arrived and boarded the ship to carry out their duties.

But, she said the captain of the ship managed to give her the survivors’ photos and a brief statement about the rescue.

“I asked the Korean at the ship where the survivors come from but they said that they don’t know,” Ms Keliara said.

She hopes the survivors are safe and will soon reunite with their families.