( CNN ) -- U.S. Coast Guard and military rescuers Wednesday found nine boaters who had been lost at sea off the coast of Honduras . A U.S. Army UH-60 helicopter crew hoisted the survivors to safety , the Coast Guard said in a statement . At least two U.S. citizens were aboard the boat , which set out on what should have been an 18-mile journey Saturday but never arrived at its intended destination . Rescue crews searched more than 4,500 square miles , an area greater than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined , according to the Coast Guard . The boaters were found Wednesday morning about 55 miles northwest of their intended destination in Utila , Honduras , the Coast Guard said . The Coast Guard said the incident shows the importance of keeping safety equipment , such as emergency beacons that help rescuers find mariners in distress , onboard boats . CNN 's Mike Ahlers , Amanda Watts and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report .
9 boaters who went missing on Saturday have been found . The bodies of the men were discovered in a remote area about 100 miles from where they had gone missing. At least 2 U.S. citizens were on the boat .