Broken mast and no food: man spends month in the Pacific Ocean

39-year-old American Kai Sato survived a month adrift in the Pacific Ocean after his mast broke and fuel ran out. He improvised steering from PVC pipes, ate oatmeal and fish, and collected water from condensation. Rescued by a cargo ship near Hawaii.

39-year-old American Kai Sato set off on a solo voyage from Catalina Island (California) to Hawaii on June 7. Two weeks into the trip, his sailboat's mast broke, fuel ran out, and his phone died. The vessel drifted off shipping lanes. Sato cried for a week out of despair, then built a steering system from plastic pipes and oars. He ate oatmeal, fish, and squid that jumped into the boat, and drank condensation. After a month, a cargo ship spotted him; sailors struggled to hoist him aboard. Sato wept with joy, drank water, and ate fruit. He plans a new voyage to the Philippines on a larger vessel.