A California sailor who spent more than a month adrift in the Pacific Ocean has been found alive after a dramatic rescue near Hawaii.

Kai Sato, 39, set out from Catalina Island on June 7, hoping to sail across the Pacific. But about two weeks into the journey, disaster struck when the mast of his sailboat snapped. He eventually ran out of fuel, and his phone stopped working, leaving him stranded far from the main shipping routes.

Sato said he spent days crying and losing hope as ocean currents continued carrying his damaged boat farther off course. At one point, he described feeling helpless, like a “sitting duck” being pushed south by the current with little chance of being found.

After several days of despair, Sato said he decided he had to take action. Using PVC pipes and kayak paddles, he began making temporary repairs to his sailboat in an effort to get back toward a shipping route.

With his supplies running low, he survived on leftover oatmeal, along with fish and squid that ended up on his boat. He also collected condensation from seawater in a bucket and relied on it for drinking water.

Sato eventually spent nearly a month trying to make his way back toward the shipping lane between California and Hawaii.

His ordeal finally came to an end on July 21, when a Pasha Hawaii container ship traveling toward the islands spotted his damaged sailboat and came to his rescue.

Footage recorded during his time at sea showed the broken mast and powerful waves repeatedly striking the small vessel. Rescue images later revealed the extent of the damage to the boat, with parts of the sails seen floating in the ocean.

The rescue itself took two attempts as the ship’s crew worked to lower a rope ladder and bring Sato safely aboard.

After weeks at sea surviving on whatever food and water he could find, Sato was given fresh clothes, food, and water by the crew.

He described the moment as overwhelming, saying he was incredibly happy and emotional to finally be rescued.

Sato is now staying with a relative in Hawaii. Despite the terrifying experience, the solo sailor says he is planning another journey—this time hoping to travel to the Philippines aboard a larger vessel.