The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking help from the maritime community in the search for 60-year-old Noel Rubio and the sailing boat “Malulani.”
Rubio set sail on his 32-foot Westsail sloop from Long Beach, Calif., on Dec. 28 and was planning to arrive in Kaneohe, O’ahu, on Jan. 18.
The Coast Guard is using all available means to determine the Malulani’s location, including urgent marine information broadcasts and harbor checks in California, Hawai‘i and Mexico. He last made contact via cellphone on the day he departed, south of Catalina Island, Calif., informing a friend that he was en route to Hawai‘i.
The only means of communication aboard the vessel Malulani is a VHF-FM marine band radio.
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“The Coast Guard is greatly appreciative of the expert consult advice on weather and routes provided by experienced trans-Pacific sailors,” said Douglas Samp, a search and rescue mission coordinator in the Rescue Coordination Center Alameda. “Mariners intending to conduct an open ocean passage are highly encouraged to have multiple layers of communication, including a VHF-FM DSC radio, HF DSC radio, satellite communications, and a 406Mhz electronic position indicating radio beacon as the notification of last resort to help SAR authorities locate your position in a time of need.”
Report any information or sightings of the S/V Malulani or Noel Rubio to JRCC Alameda at 510-437-3701, [email protected] or JRCC Honolulu at 808-535-3333, [email protected].
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