Search continues today for missing opihi picker off Puna

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Rescue personnel on Saturday resumed the search for a 30-year-old man last seen climbing down a cliff face to pick opihi in Puna.

The man was identified by the U.S. Coast Guard as Peter Mahoe. Mahoe was last seen sometime between noon and 2 p.m. Thursday climbing down the cliff face at Cape Kumukahi. Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, fire department and Hawaii Police department spent Friday searching for Mahoe, but turned up no sign of the missing man.

On Saturday, crews from the Hawaii Fire Department resumed ground, sea and aerial searches, but again found no sign of Mahoe despite more than 13 hours of searching, according to the department.

The aerial search spanned 1 mile north and 1 mile south of Mahoe’s last known whereabouts while divers searched an area that stretched 1.5 miles north and south. The ground search focused on the area where Mahoe was last seen.

HFD officials suspended the search at sunset Saturday with plans to resume the effort at first light on Sunday.

Anyone with information on Mahoe is asked to contact Coast Guard Sector Honolulu at 842-2600.