Flares fired from a disabled boat led to the rescue of a man off Maui Thursday night.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and medium response boat found the mariner aboard an 18-foot boat drifting about 5 miles west of Kihei.

The Coast Guard began searching for the mariner after receiving a report of three red flares at about 9:23 p.m. The Maui Fire Department also reported seeing a fourth flare from shore.

The mariner confirmed that he fired the flares and the Coast Guard towed him and his boat back to Kihei.

“This mariner did everything right with his flares and the case illustrates the importance of having proper emergency gear aboard your vessel,” said Charles Turner, of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu in a news release. “In addition to required flares and flotation we recommend mariners have multiple forms of communication with them including a hand-held VHF-FM radio, charged cellular devices and a properly registered personal locator beacon if possible. It’s State law to have a VHF radio on your boat if you’re more than a mile offshore. Communications can be a challenge around the islands and not all devices may have consistent coverage. It’s also a good idea to leave word with friends or family about your voyage and when you intend to return so they can alert responders if you are overdue.”