59-year-old man rescued by Coast Guard after his boat sinks off Molokaʻi

The Coast Guard rescued one man after his boat sank offshore the island of Molokaʻi, Tuesday. 

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center heard two mayday calls at 5:40 a.m. from a man stating his boat was taking on water offshore of ʻĪlio Point, Molokaʻi. The call did not include the number of people aboard or the vessel’s description. 

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Honolulu, and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry.  

A Maui Fire Department helicopter, jet ski and engine crews also responded to the mayday calls. 

The Coast Guard helicopter crew searched the eastern side of the Kaiwi Channel offshore of ʻĪlio Point without sighting anyone in distress. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and second MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew then joined the search.

At 9:37 a.m., the second Coast Guard helicopter crew located a person in the water approximately 2 miles southwest of ʻĪlio Point.  

The helicopter crew deployed a rescue swimmer and hoisted the man, who was clinging to a bait box. The 59-year-old man confirmed that he had made the mayday calls and had been the only person aboard the 29-foot boat Hana Hou, which sank after taking on water in the Kaiwi Channel.  

The crew transported him to the air station for an evaluation by emergency medical services personnel. No injuries were reported.  

“Emergencies often unfold quickly at sea, so it is crucial for you to wear a life jacket and have communications equipment like a VHF radio on board,” said Ensign Skyler Schroeder, command duty officer, Sector Honolulu. “Cell phones can rarely be relied upon in the marine environment. In fact, this mariner’s VHF radio directly led to his rescue. Beyond a radio, an EPIRB is especially useful during offshore voyages because you can send a distress alert and transmit your GPS location with the press of a button.”  

The sunken Hana Hou does not currently pose a known hazard to navigation. Sector Honolulu pollution responders are investigating the vessel, which reportedly had 50-100 gallons of diesel on board.