UPDATE: Family Request Extends Search for Missing Fisherman
***Updated at 1:15 p.m. to include additional information from the Hawai’i County Fire Department.***
The search for a missing fisherman has been extended through Wednesday, according to the Hawai’i County Fire Department.
A HFD official told Big Island Now that the search was extended beyond the department’s general three-day ocean search by request of the family, and as approved by the HFD Fire Chief Darren Rosario.
Rough weather conditions, including recent high surf and intial days of wind and rain, made the search difficult, the official said.
HFD initially reported that the search had been suspended Tuesday evening, however, approval of the family’s request extended the search another day.
***Original story posted at 8:13 a.m.***
The Hawai’i County Fire Department has suspended its search for a missing fisherman offshore of Kaloli Point.
HFD personnel made the decision Tuesday night after searching for three days.
On Saturday, HFD responded to the Kaloli Point area of Hawaiian Paradise Park after receiving a report of a missing fisherman. The 51-year-old unidentified man had been swept off a cliff into the ocean by high surf.
Rescue Company 2 searched for the man via air, ground, and dive operations. On Tuesday, operations consisted of a shoreline search to the north and south of the man’s last seen position. Crew members aboard a chopper conducted an eight-mile aerial search to the north and south and one mile off shore. A rescue boat equipped with dive crews searched the shoreline.
No signs of the man were found.