The Maui Fire Department and U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 51-year-old paddleboarder Friday in waters off West Maui, nearly 12 hours after she was reported missing in Olowalu.
Responders initiated a search for the paddleboarder, a Napili woman, after her daughter reported her overdue at about 8 p.m. Thursday. Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro said there were strong offshore winds in the area at the time.
A family member had dropped off the woman at Mile Marker 14 in Olowalu at about 4:30 p.m.
The Coast Guard reported the woman was last seen 100 yards offshore wearing a blue rash guard, black leggings and a blue personal flotation device.
Fire rescue crews including the Air 1 and the Coast Guard’s HC-130 Hercules plane, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, cutter Joseph Gerczak, Auxiliary air crew and 45-foot response boat medium scanned the shoreline and waters throughout the night.
At about 7:30 a.m. Friday, the Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew spotted a woman approximately a mile off Ukumehame Beach Park. Flight observer Eduardo Vitorino said they were in a Piper Cherokee plane at an altitude of 1,000 feet when he saw flashes of light from what he believed to be a signal mirror.
He then spotted the woman sitting on a white paddleboard with orange trim. The Napili woman also had a paddle with orange blades on both sides, Vitorino said Friday in an interview with the Honolulu Star- Advertiser. He notified the Coast Guard’s Sector Honolulu Command Center, which alerted the Fire Department’s Air 1 helicopter crew, which was in the area.
Air 1 deployed a rescue swimmer who reached the paddleboarder. The helicopter then hoisted her to safety onshore where medics evaluated the exhausted paddleboarder who was in stable condition.
“I can tell she’s a very strong paddler. It was great to see that she hung in there,” Vitorino said.
He also credited the positive outcome of the search and rescue operation to teamwork with Coast Guard assets and the Maui Fire Department.
Created by Congress in 1939, the Coast Guard Auxiliary is a civilian volunteer component of the Coast Guard, according to its website.
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BE SAFE
The Maui County’s Ocean Safety Division offered the following safety tips for paddleboarders:
>> Go with a buddy, and let someone onshore know where you plan to paddle, when you will be leaving and when you plan to return. Ask them to call 911 as soon as you are overdue. Do not wait until it’s dark.
>> Wear bright clothing and have some sort of signaling device such as a glow stick or signal mirror. A fully charged cellphone in a waterproof case is also recommended.
>> Know your environment. Get familiar with the ocean and weather conditions along your planned route, and check the forecast for any inclement weather or strong winds. Even experienced paddlers might struggle to overcome strong winds pushing them out to sea.
>> Stay within view of the coastline at all times. If you can’t see land, people onshore can’t see you.
>> Check all your equipment prior to entering the water.
>> Stay within your abilities. If in doubt, don’t go out.
