Navy, Coast Guard crews rescue missing boater clinging to life jackets off Kaena Point
Navy and Coast Guard crews rescued an overdue boater, whose boat had sunk, early this morning about 26 miles off Kaena Point.
A large debris field from the boat helped pinpoint the location of the man, the Coast Guard said.
A Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter crew found him at 1:30 a.m. clinging to a bundle of life jackets.
The aircrew hoisted him up onto the helicopter, transported him to the Queen’s Medical Center with symptoms of hypothermia.
>> VIDEO: Navy rescues missing fisherman
The boater went out fishing Thursday morning from Waianae in a 16-foot boat, “Size No Matter,” and did not return.
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The fisherman’s family called the Coast Guard.
Watchstanders received the report at 5:21 p.m., and issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners.
They launched an HC-130 Hercules plan and diverted a cutter to respond to the missing boater.
The Hercules crew saw debris in the area and another cutter and a 45-foot response boat-medium were launched to assist in the search.
The Navy sent out three MH-60-R Sea Hawk helicopters from Kaneohe to assist.
The Coast Guard is investigating how the boat sank, and is trying to get the full story from the boater, a spokesman for the Coast Guard said.
