Search continues for missing fisherman off Oahu's south shore

HONOLULU - Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department crews continue to search for an overdue mariner aboard a 19-foot white and green pleasure craft reported overdue from a fishing trip off the southern coast of Oahu Sunday.

Victim, a 53-year-old local fisherman, reportedly went out on a fishing trip aboard his vessel Saturday. When he failed to return at sunset family members searched the Maunalua boat ramp in Hawaii Kai where they located his vehicle and boat trailer. He was then reported overdue to 911. 

The Honolulu Fire Department immediately notified Watchstanders in Sector Honolulu of the situation at 7:45 p.m. Saturday.  The crew of the 110-foot Coast Guard Cutter Kiska was diverted and an aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was launched from Air Station Barbers Point. A fire department helicopter and crew also searched Saturday. 

Two HC-130 Hercules airplanes from Air Station Barbers Point joined the search Sunday morning. One has returned to the air station and the other remains on scene with the Kiska.

Honnolulu Fire Department assets include the Air One helicopter and are scheduled to search from Makapuu Light to Barbers Point.  

To assist in the search, Coast Guard watchstanders are utilizing the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System to determine the search area with the highest probability for locating Victim. SAROPS is a computer program which calculates environmental factors such as weather, wind speed and direction, current speed and direction and the size of the search object. From that data, a search area is calculated. In addition to SAROPS, the Hercules aircrew deployed a self-locating data marker buoy, which also calculates and measures currents to better assist search and rescue teams in coordinating their search patterns.

Coast Guard crews have searched from Hawaii Kai to Barbers Point, covering a total of 2,101 square miles in 17 hours.

For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.
HAWAII KAI                    