Grounded Sailboat Leaves One Mariner Missing

The United States Coast Guard and the Hawai’i Fire Department is currently searching for a missing passenger from a sailboat that grounded near Kaupulehu on Saturday.

According to the Coast Guard, Watchstanders received notification at 6:36 a.m. from the Hawai’i Fire Department Saturday of a flare sighting. It was later determined that the flares had been fired by the crew of a 74-foot sailing vessel, Hawai’i Aloha. The crew hand abandoned ship and were on a life raft.

One of the five crew members remains missing after fire department personnel rescued four passengers from the life raft. The vessel later grounded.

Aircrew aboard the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, as well as the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake, an 87-foot coastal patrol boat, were used in the search for the missing person in the area Saturday.

Officials say it is unknown if the missing individuals remains aboard the grounded vessel. A search of the interior of the vessel by the fire department was scheduled for Sunday.