73
COURTESY U.S. COAST GUARD
A 43-foot sailboat, Mithrandirs Dream, grounded approximately 5 miles east of Kaunakakai Harbor today.
The Coast Guard rescued two sailors after their yacht went aground near Kaunakakai Harbor early this morning.
The Coast Guard received the report at 1:53 a.m. that the 43-foot sailing vessel Mithrandirs Dream grounded about 5 miles east of Kaunakakai Harbor.
A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point, a 45-foot response boat from Station Maui and ground crews from the Maui Fire Department and Maui Police Department responded.
The helicopter reached the vessel at 3:35 a.m., lowered a rescue swimmer onto the boat and brought the two men onto the helicopter. The helicopter flew them to Kahului Airport.
No injuries were reported.
The yacht was sailing from Oahu to Maui when its owner and captain experienced electrical problems that disabled the vessel’s GPS unit and auxilliary power, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said.
While under sail, the winds shifted and the yacht ran aground.
The vessel had about 50 gallons of diesel fuel aboard. Officers were unable to determine if any leakage occurred.
The DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement is conducting an investigation.
Salvage company Parker Marine is working to free the grounded vessel and tow it to mooring over the weekend.
Glad no one was hurt. Welcome to Molokai.
What about their ANCHOR?? Was that also “disabled”?? I think the electrical problems disabled the captain’s brain, too.