Luka Rahan survived 41 days adrift in Pacific Ocean

Most of us would struggle to last a day without food or fresh water, never mind six weeks.

But an 18-year-old from Papua New Guinea has been found alive after spending 41 days drifting across the Pacific Ocean, in a survival story that's been making headlines in world news.

Luka Rahan was found by a group of fishermen from Kiribati on Tuesday afternoon (October 27), alone and severely dehydrated in a small boat floating between the islands of Tarawa and Maiana.

By then, he was around 2,000km from home.

Luka Rahan's boat motor failed on a fishing trip from Bougainville

According to ABC News, Luka left north Bougainville, in Papua New Guinea, on a fishing trip with his cousin last month.

Things went wrong when the boat's motor failed.

They didn't have an anchor on board, so there was nothing to stop the current from carrying them further and further out to sea.

It's not yet known how Luka survived for so long, or what food and water he had on board.

He has since been taken to hospital in Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati, where he is recovering.

Luka Rahan (left) was saved after 41 days adrift. Credit: Jonathan Anthony Kunau

What happened to Luka Rahan's cousin at sea

Luka was the only person on the boat when the fishermen reached it.

ABC understands that his cousin died at sea the week before he was found, although the details of what happened have not been confirmed.

The cousin has not been named.

Stranger from Papua New Guinea visits Luka Rahan in hospital

When Jonathan Anthony Kunau, a Papua New Guinean engineer working in Tarawa, heard about the rescue, he went straight to the hospital.

He told ABC's Pacific Beat: "He's from my country, he's my countryman. I need to be there for him, make him feel at home."

He added to ABC News: "It's just moral support. He needs to get well soon."

Kunau also had a message for anyone heading out on the water in a small boat, urging fishermen to carry "a compass, an anchor and a phone."

Survivors who spent months lost at sea

Luka's story is the latest in a long line of incredible survival tales from the Pacific.

Mexican fisherman José Salvador Alvarenga famously survived 438 days lost at sea after a storm knocked out his boat in 2012, and his crewmate also died during the ordeal.

More recently, Peruvian fisherman Máximo Napa Castro was found alive after 95 days adrift when a two-week fishing trip went badly wrong.

For Luka, the road to recovery is only just starting, and his family back in Bougainville will be grieving the loss of a loved one even as they celebrate his survival.

If you're struggling with grief or your mental health, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or visit 988lifeline.org.