HONOLULU –Three mariners have made it safely to Oahu aboard a container ship after their sailboat sank 280 miles northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, Thursday. 

The crew of the 38-foot sailboat Liahona contacted the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska Tuesday at approximately 5:30 p.m via satellite phone. The vessel became disabled in seas of 6-to-13 feet and winds of 34 mph. The vessel reportedly suffered damage to its top forestay and its engine overheated. The crew attempted to rig a makeshift sail but completely lost its mast in the extreme conditions. 

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu contacted the 800-foot container ship Horizon Reliance to render assistance under the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System. The Horizon Reliance was 149 miles northeast of their Liahona’s location.         

At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning the Horizon Reliance reached the disabled vessel. As the Horizon Reliance approached the vessel, weather conditions caused the bow of the Horizon Reliance to strike the sailboat.  The Liahona began taking on water and sank, forcing the three passengers into the sea. 

The Horizon Reliance maneuvered and lowered a Jacobs’s ladder to reach the survivors. A 29-year-old man was rescued at 2:30 a.m. by the crew of the Horizon Reliance, but the others, a 32-year-old man and 9-year-old boy, drifted away. Both were rescued at 3:20 a.m.

All three mariners are reportedly in good condition.

“No rescue situation can be completely planned for, the sea is ever changing and un-forgiving,” said Cmdr. Mark Morin, district response manager. “The crew had life jackets with strobes lights on, which was critical in aiding to the Horizon Reliance to keep an eye on them and make the rescue.”  

The Liahona was traveling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Oahu, Hawaii. 

The Kiska is a 110-foot patrol boat based in Hilo, Hawaii. 

AMVER, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. With AMVER, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond.

For more information about AMVER visit www.amver.com.

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of two adults and one child aboard a disabled sailboat which sank 280 miles northeast of Hilo, Hawaii Wednesday. 

The crew of the 38-foot sailboat Liahona contacted the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska Tuesday at 5:26 p.m. after becoming disabled in seas of 6-to-13 feet and winds of 34 mph. The vessel reportedly suffered damage to its top forestay and it’s engine overheated. The crew attempted to rig a makeshift sail but completely lost its mast in the extreme conditions. 

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu contacted the 800-foot container ship Horizon Reliance to request assistance under the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue Program. The Horizon Reliance was 149 miles northeast of the Liahona’s location.          

At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning the Horizon Reliance reached the disable vessel. As the Horizon Reliance approached the vessel a swell caused the sailboat to capsize and sink, throwing the three passengers into the sea. 

The Horizon Reliance maneuvered and lowered a Jacobs’s ladder to conduct the rescue. A 29-year-old man was rescued at 2:30 a.m. by the crew of the Horizon Reliance, but the others, a 32-year-old man and 9-year-old boy, drifted away. Both were rescued at 3:20 am. All passengers aboard the sailboat were wearing lifejackets with strobe lights, which enabled rescuers to keep them in sight. 

All three rescued are reportedly in good condition and will return to Honolulu Friday aboard the Horizon Reliance. 

The Liahona was traveling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Hilo. 

The Kiska is a 110-foot patrol boat based in Hilo. 

AMVER, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. With AMVER, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond.

For more information about AMVER visit www.amver.com.

There are no photos or video available of this rescue.    

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard's search for the owner of a grounded sailboat in Maui has been suspended after he was located safely ashore.

The search for Randy Perez was initiated after his 29-foot recreational sailing vessel, the Little Lady, was found aground south of Lahaina, Maui Monday morning. Coast Guardsmen in Sector Honolulu were able to contact a friend of the owner, who reported Perez was not in distress.

Pacific Environmental Corporation has been hired to assess and remove any quantity of hazardous material found aboard the vessel.

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard and local law enforcement officials are searching for the owner of a 29-foot recreational sailing vessel aground south of Lahaina, Maui Monday.

The vessel, registered to Randy Perez, was found grounded at 11:15 a.m. The vessel is registered in Hawaii and bears the following Hull Identification Number: HA4201E.

Attempts to contact Perez have been unsuccessful so far.

The Coast Guard and local law enforcement are trying to determine if Perez is in distress.

Coast Guard officials request any person with knowledge of the vessel or its owner contact the Sector Honolulu command center at 808-842-2601.

Editor's note: For high resolution images click the thumbnails above.

HONOLULU –  The Coast Guard signed a memorandum of agreement with Maui and Hawaii Counties to improve coordination and maintain consistent interoperability during search and rescue missions Thursday.

Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray, commander of the 14th Coast Guard District, met with Mayors Alan M. Arakawa of Maui County and William P. Kenoi of Hawaii County at each mayor’s respective city hall. Ray signed the agreements, which set forth terms by which the local fire departments, Ocean Safety, Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, and Coast Guard Sector Honolulu will coordinate and carry out civil and military search and rescue missions. 

The objective of this agreement is to provide an instrument by which the local and federal responders will render timely notification and cooperative assistance to one another while conducting SAR missions. By doing so, responders can fully leverage each organization’s unique assets, capabilities, and local knowledge while conducting SAR missions.

“This agreement offers benefits to both local and federal responders,” said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Derrenbacher of Sector Honolulu. “But the real benefits go to the citizens who live in and visit the Hawaiian Islands. We’re here to serve the public by providing them the best rescue, response capabilities and coordination possible to save lives.” 

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230. 

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration are responding to a whale reportedly entangled from head to tail in fishing nets 6 miles south of Maalaea Bay, Maui Thursday.

Station Maui received a call at 8 a.m from the charter boat Maui Diamond 2 reporting an adult male humpback whale entangled in fishing net from head to tail dragging two orange buoys.

A Coast Guard crew from Station Maui and a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration marine mammal specialist launched aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium at 9 a.m. to evaluate and tag the whale. The crew of the charter boat remained on scene until the RB-M arrived.

“We had a great opportunity here with the Maui Diamond 2 standing-by the animal and we wanted to respond as quickly as possible.  Hopefully, our team will have the ability to tag the whale and gather enough information to allow a team of advanced responders to relocate and free the animal" said Eric Roberts, 14th Coast Guard District marine mammal response manager.

A Coast Guard Auxiliary airplane was also launched to observe the from the air. The RB-M is currently following the whale.

Mariners are asked to report distressed or entangled marine mammal sightings to either the NOAA Fisheries Hotline at 888-256-9840 or the US Coast Guard on channel 16.

Protecting the nation's natural resources is one of the Coast Guard’s five strategic goals.  The Coast Guard is the foremost agency with the capability and authority to project a federal law enforcement presence into the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and upon the high seas. The Coast Guard's strategic plan for marine protected species is called Ocean Steward.

Coast Guard objectives include assisting in preventing the decline of marine protected species populations, promoting the recovery of marine protected species and their habitats, partnering with other agencies and organizations to enhance stewardship of marine ecosystems and ensuring internal compliance with appropriate legislation, regulations and management practices.

The Coast Guard uses a wide variety of multi-mission assets to carry out its strategic goal of protecting the maritime environment. The 45-foot Response Boat-Medium is part of the Coast Guard’s recapitalization efforts to ensure the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct its many missions. One of the many benefits of the RB-M, aside from its multi-mission capabilities, is the jet drive used to power the vessel. The jet drive can easily maneuver the RB-M if a whale gets too close, without the risk of harming the endangered species. Hawaii's first RBM was delivered in June 2010.

For more information on the Coast Guards recapitalization program, click the following link: http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/.

Media are invited to contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office for more information on the Coast Guard’s ongoing efforts to protect the natural resources of the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific at 808-535-3230. For more information on NOAA involvement in this case contact Wende Goo at 808-721-4098

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Apra Harbor, GUAM – The Coast Guard and U.S. Navy are preparing for a medical evacuation of an injured crewmember from a 570-foot cargo ship near Saipan, Sunday.

The master of the motor vessel Sikyon contacted Coast Guard Sector Guam Saturday requesting a medical evacuation for a 57-year-old crewmember. The crewmember reportedly fell aboard the vessel and two days later began to develop other complications. The vessel was on a voyage to Taiwan from Tacoma, Wash. when the injury occurred. At the time of notification, the Sikyon was more than 690 miles from Guam making an immediate evacuation by air difficult.   

The Sikyon has set a course to Saipan where a Navy aircrew from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, based out of Andersen Air Force Base, will wait for the ship to come within range for the evacuation. HSC-25 will send a helicopter to Saipan International Airport in preparation to launch Sunday afternoon for the evacuation.

“Sector Guam is responsible for a search and rescue area of responsibility roughly the size of the continental United States. Given that, you sometimes have to get creative with your rescue planning,” said Lee Putnam, Coast Guard Sector Guam search and rescue controller. “Thankfully, by having the vessel head to Saipan we can reduce the transit time for the helicopter so they have enough fuel to hoist the injured crew member and fly back to Guam.”

For more information contact Lt. j.g. Rich Russell, Sector Guam’s public affairs officer at 671-688-3917. 

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing kayaker near Kalepolepo Beach Park, Maui at 6:18 p.m. Thursday.

Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary crews covered a total of 272 square miles during the search for 55-year-old Torry Durrell. 

“Our decision to suspend the search was not made easily,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Crystal Tassan Toffola, an Operations Specialist at Sector Honolulu. “We took into account the probability of survival, weather, drift and other data. Ultimately the decision to suspend, pending any new information, was made this evening. We offer our thoughts and prayers to Torry Durrell’s friends and family during this difficult time.”

Coast Guardsmen aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point, the Hilo-based crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska, the Kiska small boat, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station Maui, and Coast Guard Auxiliarists aboard a Cessna airplane were all deployed in this search.

Durrell is 55 years old, has grey hair and blue eyes. His kayak was found approximately 200 yards off the beach park, Tuesday. 

Anyone with information concerning Durrell's whereabouts should contact Coast Guard Sector Honolulu immediately at 808-842-2600.

For more information, please contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.

HONOLULU – Rescue crews continue to search for a kayaker missing near Kalepolepo Beach Park, Maui Wednesday.

Maui County Fire Department personnel contacted the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at approximately 12:15 p.m. to request assistance with the search.

An MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point, the Hilo based crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska and a 45-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Maui, were all launched at 2 p.m. to search for Torry Durrell.

A Dolphin helicopter crew will continue searching until 11 p.m. A helicopter crew will resume searching Thursday morning. The Kiska will remain on scene overnight. The search has covered 96 square miles.

Durrell is 55-years-old, has grey hair and blue eyes. His kayak was found approximately 200 yards off the beach park Tuesday.

Anyone with information concerning Durrell's whereabouts should contact Coast Guard Sector Honolulu immediately at 808-842-2600.

For more information about this case, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 808-535-3230.