6 kayakers safe after Coast Guard rescue

The Coast Guard and the fire department Saturday morning rescued a group of six kayakers off Kaimana Beach in Waikiki.

Someone in the group contacted the Honolulu Fire Department at about 8 a.m., saying some of their kayaks had overturned, the Coast Guard said in a news release.

A fire rescue helicopter, rescue boat, fire boat and engine were dispatched, and the fire department contacted the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast for help from mariners in the area, and launched a 45-foot boat.

The Coast Guard boat crew pulled four people from the water and one person from a kayak. They were taken aboard the boat with their kayaks.

The crew also recovered three kayaks and escorted a sixth person as he paddled to Kaimana Beach. No injuries were reported.

19-year-old charged with robbing teens

Prosecutors charged a 19-year-old Kapahulu man in the alleged robbery of six teens Thursday off Ward Avenue.

Richie Michael was charged Saturday with five counts of second-degree robbery.

He allegedly had the help of four younger teenage boys whose names were not released.

Police arrested Michael and the other teens at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center at 10:34 p.m. Thursday.

Police said Michael and four boys, ages 15, 16, 16 and 17, approached a group of six younger teenage boys, ages 14 and 15, and demanded their property. When they refused, the older teens used force to overcome them.

Police located the suspects a short time later.