The search for a missing boater who placed a mayday call Thursday morning saying his vessel was taking on water and in danger of sinking 46 miles west of Kailua-Kona ended Monday evening, the U.S. Coast Guard said
“The suspension of an active search and rescue case without definitive resolution is one of the most difficult command decisions a commanding officer has to make,” said Capt. Shannon Gilreath, Sector Commander, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “We have exhausted all available resources in our efforts to locate Mr. Ingraham but, pending further developments, I have have decided to suspend the active search.”
The search, which comprised Coast Guard and Navy crews, covered approximately 12,000 square miles. Comparatively, the total square mileage of the Hawaiian Islands is 6,418.
Involved in the search were MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews and HC-130 Hercules airplane crews from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point along with the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Ahi, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Honolulu and a Navy P-3 Orion crew from Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Oahu.
Sixty-seven-year-old Ron Ingraham is believed to be the sole person aboard the 25-foot sailing vessel Malia, which departed Kaunakakai Harbor, Molokai, to Manele Bay, Lanai. A friend of Ingraham called Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center Friday and said Tuesday was the last time he spoke with him.
Watchstanders at Sector Honolulu Command Center received a mayday call over VHF radio Ch. 16 at 8:03 a.m. Thursday from a mariner who stated his coordinates were 19 degrees, 58 minutes, 283 seconds north; 156 degrees, 46 minutes, 224 seconds west. That placed him about 46 miles west of Kailua-Kona.
“This is a mayday, mayday, mayday. I’m in the middle of Alenui(haha) Channel, uh, small boat in danger of sinking,” he said. “Anybody picks this up give me a relay. This is a mayday, mayday.”