Three Fisherman Rescued Off Kealakekua Coast

Three fishermen in their 60s clinging to a partially sunken 22-foot vessel six miles west of Kealakekua Bay used their cell phones to contact the U.S. Coast Guard and Hawai‘i Fire Department who collaborated to execute the rescue of the three men utilizing Rescue Boat 7 out of the Kailua-Kona Fire Station.

Rescue Boat 7 personnel made contact with the victims at 3:15 a.m. The fishermen were able to signal and respond to rescue personnel directives to help identify each other in the early morning darkness.

All three men had lifejackets and were with the vessel on arrival of the rescue team.

According to the victims, they were in the water for approximately an hour-and-a-half.

The three men were evaluated by Medic 12 out of the Keauhou Fire Station and released. None of them were injured.

Rescue personnel left lights attached to the vessel to alert other boats of the navigational hazard.