Three teen boys survived on coconuts, rainwater and seagull when drifting in Pacific Ocean

Three teenage boys who spent 50 days adrift in a tiny boat in the South Pacific Ocean have walked ashore after a chance rescue sparked celebrations on their home island hundreds of miles away.

The trio - Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo, both 15, and Edward Nasau, 14 - told rescuers they survived on rainwater they collected, a handful of coconuts, raw fish and a seagull that landed on their 12ft aluminium boat. The boys went missing after setting off on October 5 from their home island to one nearby. Although it is not known how they went missing, it is thought their outboard motor may have broken down at sea, The Press Association says.

On Thursday, a New Zealand fishing boat, the San Nikanau, sailing near the French territory of Wallis and Futuna spotted the boys' floundering boat off its bow.

"Yesterday we saw a small vessel, a little speed boat on our bows, and we knew it was a little weird," said Fredricsen.

"We had enough smarts to know there were people in it and those people were not supposed to be there", Reuters reports.