An Australian man has been rescued off the coast of Hawaii after spending more than 100 days at sea.
The unidentified 62-year-old was sailing alone in a homemade boat that contained neither communication equipment nor an engine. He was returning home to Australia from Panama - a distance of more than 14,000km - when he was blown off course by rough weather.
He was spotted by the crew of the Trilogy V, a commercial passenger boat, 6km from Maui on Sunday (local time), and was towed to shore.
The crew told authorities that the man seemed to be disoriented when they picked him up, and told them he was having trouble sailing into port.
"Being disoriented while at sea in a vessel with no communication capabilities aboard can be deadly if not handled quickly," said Jacob Schlereth, Maui Coast Guard's Petty Officer 2nd Class.
"We commend the good Samaritan for recognising the complications and contacting the proper authorities to initiate a rescue."
US Customs and Border Protection plan to interview the man before he resumes his solo voyage home.
The longest anyone lost at sea has survived is 438 days, when a fisherman from El Salvador became stranded in the Pacific Ocean following a storm.
- Man claims he survived 13 months adrift, ate turtles
- Castaway Jose Alvarenga home, but mentally fragile
He finally washed ashore on the Marshall Islands in 2014, and the following year was sued for more than $1 million for allegedly eating his fellow castaway.
Newshub.
