Couple Rescued after Outrigger Canoe Breaks in Two

Keawakapu sign. File photo by Wendy Osher.

Maui firefighters responded to reports of a white boat that broke apart and was taking on water one mile offshore of Keawakapu Beach at around 4:54 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016.

Fire officials say one person from the distressed boat was being brought to shore by an individual within a kayak, and another person was still with the boat.

Wailea firefighters arrived at 5:03 p.m. and eventually spotted the kayak as it was heading back out to sea.

Crews met up with a woman that was brought back to the beach by the kayaker. She said the kayaker was going back out to help her male companion, who was still with their two-man outrigger canoe that had broken in half.

A fire department rescue watercraft found the kayaker and the male with the canoe about 300 yards from shore. Firefighters assisted the two men with bringing the canoe to shore after they were found trying to tow the swamped hull that was now in two pieces.

By 5:30 p.m., all parties were back on shore on the south end of Keawakapu Beach.

The 55-year-old man and 56-year-old woman, both from Wailuku, were uninjured. The couple was making a downwind run about a mile offshore when they took a hit from a large wave. Their canoe broke in two and they were in the process of swimming the canoe to shore when the Good Samaritan with the kayak showed up.

The Air 1 helicopter was dispatched to locate the initial reports of a distressed boat, but by the time Air 1 arrived, Wailea firefighters had the parties nearly to shore.