Rimas Meleshyus, who was on his 24-foot boat Pier Pressure 1,520 kilometres northeast of Hawaii, informed authorities that he is safe and not in need of assistance.

Rescuers had launched a long-distance search yesterday after a friend of Meleshyus reported receiving a text that said: "I lost my life raft, in danger now."

The Coast Guard diverted the 73,869-dwt products tanker Athens