The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two boaters in distress five miles west of Makaha Beach on Tuesday. ADVERTISING The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two boaters in distress five miles west of Makaha Beach on Tuesday. A Coast Guard Auxiliary boat
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two boaters in distress five miles west of Makaha Beach on Tuesday.
A Coast Guard Auxiliary boat crew towed the disabled 30-foot sailing vessel to Koolina Marina in Kapolei, Oahu, with a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew escorting. Upon reaching the harbor the crews conducted a post search and rescue boarding and discovered one of the boaters had outstanding warrants in another state. The man was transferred into the custody of Honolulu police.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received a relay call from 911 dispatch at 10:32 a.m. Tuesday that a boater was in need of assistance after going in the water and not being able to get back into his vessel. Dispatch personnel and Coast Guard Watchstanders attempted to get back in touch with the boater but were unsuccessful.
Sector Honolulu watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, the RB-M crew from Coast Guard Station Honolulu and the Coast Guard Auxiliary boat crew.
The Dolphin crew arrived about an hour later and lowered a rescue swimmer to the vessel and discovered not only that the vessel’s outboard engine was unreliable, but that the vessel operator had suffered a leg injury and was in need of medical attention. Because of his condition, the rescue swimmer remained aboard to provide immediate medical care.
The Auxiliary boat crew arrived, took the vessel in a side tow and transported the vessel and the two boaters safely to the Oahu marina.
During the routine post search and rescue boarding of the vessel, the RB-M crew also discovered safety violations aboard the vessel including a lack of boater registration, life jackets and rescue pyrotechnics also known as flares.
