FIERCE AND FAST WINTER STORM GROUNDS BOATS ACROSS THE STATE

DLNR Working with Owners to Initiate & Complete Salvage Operations

News Release from DLNR

HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and several of its divisions responded to reports of at least six vessels adrift or grounded, as a result of a short, but severe winter storm on Jan. 2 and 3.

A 75-foot, 84-ton sailing ketch, Hawaii Aloha ran aground in the wave zone fronting the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort on Hawaii Island, Friday night. The boat’s captain and three crew members managed to get off before it grounded.  The search for a fifth crew member is continuing.  Staff from the DLNR Divisions of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), are working with salvage and insurance companies to develop a salvage and wreckage removal plan for the Hawaii Aloha.Interim DLNR Chairperson Carty Chang said, “We want to exercise great care in removing this boat, as it still contains more than 500 gallons of diesel fuel and is resting in a position that could cause environmental damage.  The plans we’re working on currently will take into consideration all factors to minimize any further damage to fragile natural resources.”

A 45-foot sail boat, Kanua Kai, ran aground atop the reef fronting the Cheeseburger in Paradise Restaurant on Front Street in Lahaina, Maui.  DOBOR worked with the owner and the boat’s insurer to remove this vessel. DLNR was involved in this vessel removal to assess and mitigate any reef damage caused by this grounding.

On Friday night, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) informed DLNR that a 780-foot container ship Horizon Pacific ran aground in the channel as it exited Honolulu Harbor.  The ship was able to “self-extract” and returned to port Saturday afternoon where divers assessed its hull for damage.  DAR is sending a team into the water, as soon as weather and ocean conditions allow, to get a better picture of any damage.

DOBOR, DAR, and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) were informed by the USCG and various county authorities of additional groundings or vessel capsizes including:

▪ A 13-foot Boston Whaler with an outboard engine capsized off Swanzee Beach Park, Oahu, Friday night.  The owner reportedly swam ashore.

▪ USCG reported two vessels in distress in Kaneohe Bay, Friday night. A 36-38 foot long sailing vessel was reported loose and heading toward Chinaman’s Hat.  Weather conditions did not permit a U.S. Marine Corp (USMC) waterfront operations vessel to relocate.

▪ While attempting to locate the vessel above the USMC vessel located the 26-foot sailing vessel Kaile adrift in Kaneohe Bay.  It had a broken anchor line off its bow.  It later grounded atop the sandbar in Kaneohe Bay.  This boat was removed late Saturday.

DOBOR Administrator Ed Underwood reminded boat owners and operators, “To always have required safety equipment on board your vessel and to pay very close attention to marine weather conditions and reports.”

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YWAM vessel capsizes off Kona coast, crewmember missing

News Release from YWAM

At approximately 5:45 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2015 the Hawai‘i Aloha, a 75-foot sailboat operated by YWAM Ships Kona, capsized four miles offshore from the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The vessel’s second mate remains missing and the captain is currently hospitalized in Waimea with non-life threatening injuries. All crew families have been notified.

After receiving a National Weather Service alert the previous night, the 5 person crew headed 6 miles out to sea to outlast the dangerous conditions. The ship was cutting into rough waves approximately four miles from shore when a series of large waves hit the vessel broadside, flipping it twice. The crew shot off flares and 4 of the 5 crew abandoned ship into an emergency life raft. After seeing the flares two jet ski operators rescued the crew in the life raft.

The vessel was loaded with supplies to depart for the Christmas Island this upcoming Tuesday. YWAM SHIPS exists to reach the most isolated and disadvantaged islands through medical, dental, clean water systems and educational initiatives. This is the first marine tragedy in YWAM’s decades of service.

Our first concern is for the safety and well being of the crew involved in this incident. Out of respect and privacy for these individuals, we ask for your patience and understanding at this time.

YWAM Ship’s Fleet Support is working in cooperation and collaboration with Hawaii Island’s Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawai’i’s Coast Guard. A full search of the vessel is underway and the search for the missing crew member is ongoing.

Contact YWAM Ships for further information: 206-550-2594 Phil.Cunningham@ywamships.net