Pāpalaua Wayside Park Ocean Rescues

File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Rescue crews responded to two separate paddle boarding incidents at Pāpalaua Wayside Park in West Maui on Friday after receiving distress reports from the location.

In the first incident, reported at 11:47 a.m., on Friday, Aug. 16 2013, three 12-year-old girls on a paddle board were observed being pushed out to sea by winds, authorities said.

Firefighters from the Lahaina station were dispatched to the location for a possible ocean rescue, but upon arrival found two adult male bystanders had swam out to the girls, and were bringing them in to shore, said Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga.

Officials say all three girls made it safely to shore, with no reported injuries.

Lahaina fire crews returned to the scene after receiving a separate reported at 1:50 p.m. of a female paddle boarder being pushed out to sea, and unable to return, officials said.

Upon arrival, crews met with the woman’s husband, who pointed out where he had last seen his wife, authorities said.

Responding crews located the woman, described as a 42-year-old visitor from Italy, sitting on her board approximately 3/4 of a mile off shore, said FS Chief Mainaga. A rescue watercraft from Ocean Safety was dispatched to pick up the woman and return her to shore, officials said.

No injuries were reported.