Father and Son Safe as Shark Reportedly Sinks Kayak on Maui

A father and son are safe after the kayak they were in reportedly sank during an encounter with a shark off of Ukumehame in West Maui today.

The DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement are investigating the unusual incident.

According to department reports, the incident occurred just before 2 p.m. The father and son reported to the Maui Dispatch Center that they were kayaking in the “Thousand Peaks” area of Ukumehame, when a shark attacked their boat.

They fell overboard when the kayak sank, but they were able to safely swim to shore, according to the report.

The two reported the shark as a 10-foot tiger shark. Personnel from DAR and DOCARE officers are now attempting to get more information from the pair. 

This incident is being handled under shark warning protocols, which means shark warning signs are up, one mile, on either side of the incident site. Beaches will be closed from the “Pali” Scenic Lookout to “Lonely Pine” near Mile 15 of the Honoapiʻilani Highway in Olowalu, until noon on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.