Coast Guard searching for overdue boater off Oʻahu 

The Coast Guard is searching for an overdue boater west of Oʻahu. A good Samaritan found a partially sunken vessel matching the description of the missing man’s boat about 18 miles west of Waiʻanae at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 24, 2026. 
 
Friends of the missing man arrived on scene and confirmed the vessel was his boat. The individuals righted the boat and towed it to Waiʻanae Small Boat Harbor. Search crews continue efforts to locate the missing man. 

The missing fisherman is a 61-year-old man who departed on a fishing trip early Wednesday morning and was reportedly fishing near the Waiʻanae coast off the southwest side of Oʻahu around noon Wednesday.  The man was fishing aboard a 19-foot vessel with a white hull, pink trim and twin outboard engines.  

Search efforts began after Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center watchstanders received notification at 2:15 p.m. Thursday from the harbormaster of Waiʻanae Small Boat Harbor that the man’s truck and trailer were still at the boat ramp.   

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, a Coast Guard Station Honolulu 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and the crew of fast response cutter USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126). A Navy P-8 Poseidon airplane crew with Navy Command Task Force-32 on Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi also assisted with the search. 

Anyone with information that may assist in search efforts should contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or call the Sector Honolulu command center at 1-800-552-6458.    

Involved in the search:  

• Coast Guard Sector Honolulu  
• Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point  
• Coast Guard Station Honolulu  
• Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126)  
• Navy Command Task Force-32