USCG searches for overdue boat, fisherman off Hawaii island
COURTESY HAWAII COUNTY POLICE
Earl K. Hind, 42, of Kailua-Kona stands on board his boat, Makalapua Onalani, in this undated photo.
COAST U.S. COAST GUARD / SEPT 1, 2019
The Coast Guard cutter Joseph Gerczak, seen here arriving in Honolulu in 2019, is involved today in a multi-agency search for a Hawaii island fisherman and his boat, which failed to return as scheduled on Wednesday morning.
The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies are searching today for an overdue fishing boat with one man aboard offshore Hawaii island.
USCG officials reported that 42-year-old Earl Kekuanaoa Hind of Kailua-Kona is missing after he failed to return as scheduled from a fishing trip Wednesday morning.
Hind’s family members confirmed that his truck and trailer are still at the boat ramp, according to a Coast Guard news release.
USCG watchstanders in Honolulu received a report about the overdue boat at 2:17 p.m. Thursday from the Hawaii County Fire Department.
Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak to aid in the search. The county fire department and state Department of Land & Natural Resources are also involved in the search.
Hawaii Island Police Department officials, meanwhile, said they have open a missing persons investigation and are seeking the public’s help in finding Hind.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
The overdue vessel is a 23-foot recreational fishing boat named Makalapua Onalani, which has a white hull with blue trim and twin outboard engines. The boat was last seen near South Point on Monday.
Hawaii police said Hind usually fishes around South Point, and he and his boat were last seen around noon Wednesday offshore of Milolii and heading north.
Hind is 6 feet, 180 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, police said.
Anyone with information helpful in search efforts should contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or the Sector Honolulu command center at 808-842-2600.
Police ask anyone with information about Hind’s whereabouts to contact the department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Det. Donovan Kohara of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at 808-960-3118 or at Donovan.Kohara@hawaiicounty.gov.
