Catamaran sailor rescued after 5 days adrift at sea

HONOLULU -- The Coast Guard says a man who had been adrift for five days on storm-damaged catamaran was rescued near the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

The man reported that a storm destroyed the mast of his 28-foot catamaran five days earlier. He called for help Saturday after finally drifting close enough to shore to do so, Hawaii News Now reported..

The agency says the man was picked up Sunday after it received the mayday call.

He wasn't hurt but was running low on food and water. A Coast Guard air crew spotted him in the ocean, and a boat towed his vessel to shore.

Chief Petty Officer Jerrod Sneller of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu says it's important for boaters to bring an emergency radio beacon that can connect to satellites.