FROM NEWS MEDIA REPORT: 10-29-09 WAILUKU, HI 3 abandon boat, rescued in waters off Lanai <http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/525269.html>  mauinews.com (10-30-09) Crews aboard a fishing boat and a Pacific Whale Foundation vessel plucked 3 boaters out of waters near Lanai on Thur. afternoon  910-29) after they abandoned their burning fishing boat. 
The rescued boaters had been participating in a women's fishing tournament out of Lahaina. The boat's captain told Lahaina Harbor officials that a woman aboard the boat suffered some scratches, but 2 men who also had been on the boat were not seriously injured. The 38-ft. "Crystal J" fishing boat from Oahu was in waters off of the Lanai Lighthouse when it caught fire. It was participating in the 2009 Wahine Fishing Tournament, said tournament Chairman. 
The rescued boaters declined to comment. Capt.  who was operating the Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Quest, said that he was conducting his snorkeling tour shortly after noon Thur. near the Lanai Lighthouse when he saw smoke coming from a vessel that was heading straight at him about a mi. away. When he got a closer look, cAPT saw more smoke coming from the boat and "three items in the water," he said. "I saw human bodies holding on coolers and (wearing) life jackets." By then, the boat was in flames, and Subject had called the USCG. Because CAPT didn't want to get too close to the burning boat, he deployed kayaks and members of his crew to help the people in the water. They returned with a middle-aged man and a woman believed to be in her early 20s. Meanwhile, the crew of an 18-ft. fishing boat with 2 men aboard showed up and pulled another man from the water. Then, the 2 rescued people aboard the Ocean Quest were transferred to the fishing boat, which took the boaters to the Manele Small Boat Harbor for evaluation by medical personnel there. CG Petty Officer ]said that a CG crew aboard 45-ft. boat from Maalaea responded to the scene and worked to put out the fire until Maui firefighters arrived to take over. CG REP said that a Coast Guard helicopter from Oahu also did a flyover of the vessel, which did not pose a pollution threat because it was in waters at least 3 miles off Lanai. http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/525269.html
LANAI CITY