Coast Guard personnel escorted the crew of the imperiled sailing vessel Honey Cutter to Honolulu on Saturday, ending a three-day, 450-mile rescue effort involving a Navy aircraft and good Samaritans on two other vessels.

The Honey Cutter’s two-man crew signaled for help on Wednesday morning after the 36-foot vessel suffered a keel fracture and began taking on water.

Coast Guard watchstanders contacted a Navy P-3 Orion crew based on Oahu as well as the crew of the fishing vessel Capt. Kenneth, which was 80 miles from the Honey Cutter.

The Orion crew flew to the Honey Cutter’s location and remained on scene until the Capt. Kenneth arrived to tow the vessel. A second boat, the Galveston island, relieved the Capt. Kenneth on Thursday.

A Coast Guard response boat escorted the Honey Cutter, which was able to use its own auxiliary power, on the last leg back to Honolulu.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to be ready with multiple methods of communication, a means to keep the vessel afloat, and equipment to abandon ship if necessary when making long ocean voyages.