Coast Guard Sector Honolulu search and rescue controllers received a report of a man in distress on a life raft off Pyramid Rock at 6:19 p.m. yesterday. Crews aboard an HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Barbers Point were launched to aid in the search at 7 p.m. Air crews searched throughout the night with negative results.

Rescue crews from HFD and the U.S. Navy’s Waterfront Operations unit searched before losing visibility at sunset last night. HFD’s rescue helicopter is actively searching and Marines from Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Navy sailors with Waterfront Operations are conducting shoreline searches with K-9 units today.

The man was believed to be about 30 and was wearing a white shirt. It is also believed he was wearing a personal flotation device. No vessels have been reported missing. Anyone with information about the missing man is asked to contact the Coast Guard’s Honolulu Harbor command center at 808-842-2600.

The fishing vessel Logan was reported aground to the Coast Guard at 7:45 a.m., Wednesday, as it attempted to transit from Honolulu Harbor to Kewalo Basin.

Coast Guard crews aboard two small boats — a 47-foot motor lifeboat and 25-foot response boat — were launched immediately from Honolulu Harbor to monitor the situation and ensure mariner safety in the area.

The Coast Guard has established a safety zone in the area and requests mariners maintain 75 yards distance from the grounded vessel. The Coast Guard also asks ocean users to be aware of the safety zone, which may be monitored by a Coast Guard small boat.

The Coast Guard is advising Kewalo Basin users and nearby boat traffic of the safety zone via VHF marine band radio channel 16.

"We are confident the situation is stable and there is no threat to the environment right now," said Cmdr. Amy Cocanour, chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. "A clean-up organization has been hired and the process of removing the fuel from the vessel is going smoothly."

Cocanour and other Coast Guard personnel were on scene throughout the day to monitor the situation. The Coast Guard is also working closely with the state's Department of Land and Natural Resources to ensure safety for all mariners in the area.

Also responding to the incident were officers with the DLNR's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, a DLNR reef specialist, the State of Hawaii Department of Health's Office of Hazard and Emergency Response, the Honolulu Fire Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

The vessel owner has hired clean-up and salvage contractors and the Coast Guard and state expect to approve a plan that calls for the removal of the vessel from the reef at high tide Thursday morning.

Approximately 600 gallons of marine diesel fuel was reported aboard and is being removed this afternoon. Coast Guard investigators went aboard the grounded vessel this morning to ensure it was safe enough to be towed off the reef.

The Coast Guard notified his family and officially suspended its search at 7:30 p.m., pending any further developments. The Honolulu Fire Department will search the shoreline again today beginning at first light.

The Coast Guard coordinated search patterns for 17 different search sorties by surface and air assets that combed a small area between Kaena and Kahuku Points on the North Shore. The search was focused around Waialua and out to approximately 12 miles. The Coast Guard even searched part of the Kauai Channel.

Since first arriving on scene at 9 p.m. Monday, the Coast Guard searched continuously with rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and a 110-foot patrol boat, the 18-member Galveston Island.

Capt. Barry Compagnoni is confident the Coast Guard's search area yielded the most probable location for Yoshida, whose paddle was recovered Monday night. Some personal effects were also discovered in the surf zone Tuesday.

"We have a high degree of confidence that we would have found him in that area," said Compagnoni, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu and the senior-most officer responsible for the search. "It is with a heavy heart that we suspend this search … we simply do not have anywhere else to look. Our hearts and thoughts are with Russell's family and friends."

Compagnoni talked with family members tonight after Coast Guard aircraft crews completed search patterns just after dark.

Today, air crews aboard an HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and C-130 long-range search plane from Air Station Barbers Point scoured the area, where searchers reported winds from the northeast at 20 mph and seas of 15 feet.

Computer drift models that factor wind and sea currents and on scene conditions produced a search area that was extremely focused around Yoshida's last-known position on the beach near Waialua where he launched his kayak.

Also assisting during the three-day search were U.S. Navy air crews aboard a P-3 Orion fixed-wing plane and a SH-60 Seahawk helicopter from the HSL Squadron 37 based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe.

Rescue crews aboard an HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter and C-130 long-range aircraft from Air Station Barbers Point are on scene and searching for any signs of Devon Johnson, a 25-year-old fisherman who went overboard.

A second fisherman aboard the 34-foot Kealia, Dennis Johnson, stopped the vessel and called for help when he noticed his crewmate missing. Dennis and Devon Johnson are twin brothers. The two were about to switch helm duties aboard the vessel when Dennis noticed his brother missing.

Dennis Johnson called the Kealia’s owner, who in turned called the Coast Guard in Honolulu at 2:45 a.m. Friday. The Coast Guard launched the air crews immediately and two 110-foot patrol boats, the Honolulu-based Galveston Island and Hilo-based Kiska, were underway before sunrise and en route.

Devon Johnson was last seen wearing an olive green sweater and black shorts, but no life jacket.

“The dark clothing and absence of a personal flotation device does present some difficulties with the search,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Barry Compagnoni, the commanding officer of Sector Honolulu and the senior officer directing the search. “But, we will continue to put as many assets out there as we can. We are hopeful we’ve put together an accurate search area.”

The Coast Guard has searched more than 1,600 square miles — an area more than twice the size of the island of Maui — and has asked the HSL Squadron 37 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii for aerial assistance with the search. The HSL Squadron 37 flies SH-60 Seahawks.

Also expected to join the search are as many as five private fishing vessels from the Kailua, Kona side of the Big Island and a family friend with an aircraft. The Coast Guard will coordinate the efforts of those searchers once the patrol boat Kiska is on scene. The 18-person crew was expected to arrive on scene early this afternoon.

Weather in the area is reported to be seas of eight feet and winds from the southeast at 25 mph. Anyone with further information about the missing man is asked to contact the Coast Guard’s 24-hour Honolulu Harbor command center at 808-842-2600 or via VHF marine band radio channel 16.

At approximately 11 a.m. Friday, the fishing vessel Lady Anna’s fuel tank ruptured as the vessel was being hoisted out of the water. Approximately 200 gallons of diesel spilled into the water, and another 700 gallons of diesel spilled on land; however, most of the fuel in the water was contained at the boat ramp.

Coast Guard pollution investigators from Sector Honolulu arrived on scene at approximately 12:20 p.m. and are currently working with a contracted clean-up company, the Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO), to contain the spill. Additionally, response personnel are employing two hard booms, sorbent boom and vacuum trucks.

A Coast Guard HH-65 rescue helicopter overflight reported a patchy sheen spreading along the coastline, but on-scene crews from the PENCO response vessel report that the very light sheen is evaporating. Another flight is planned this afternoon to ensure clean-up efforts have contained the sheen.

Coast Guard crews are also making notifications to the local community, including hotels and businesses in the area. The Coast Guard is also coordinating closely with the Hawaii State Department of Health to ensure the local community is advised of the potential pollution.

The public is asked to report pollution to the Coast Guard’s 24-hour command center in Honolulu Harbor at 808-842-2600 or the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

The 45-foot “Response Boat Medium” (or RB-M) replaces a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB), which will be moved to Station Kauai at Nawiliwili Harbor after undergoing minor repairs on Oahu. The moves give each station a better platform to perform daily missions.

The 47-foot MLB is well suited to the windy and larger surf conditions of the Garden Isle and the 45-foot RB-M is well suited for the conditions of the Maui Triangle, the area between Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe.

Among those who attended last week’s ceremony at Station Maui in Maalaea Harbor were Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares, Maui County council members, Maui County Fire Chief Jeffrey Murray and representatives from the Maui Police Department, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Air Force, Transportation Security Administration and officials with humpback whale organizations.

Also, joining Station Maui crew members were U.S. Coast Guard personnel from Sector Honolulu, Air Station Barbers Point, the 14th District and the Auxiliary. The ceremony included a blessing by Rev. Kalani Wong and remarks by Chief Petty Officer Jay Rudometkin, Station Maui’s Officer in Charge, Mayor Tavares and Capt. Barry Compagnoni, U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Honolulu.

The vessel was dedicated to the residents of Maui County by Coast Guard Station Maui personnel.

The 45-footer enables Station Maui personnel to better interact with the boating community on the water in the Maui Triangle. Tested by Coast Guard boat crews, the RB-M’s improved design, new ergonomics, and enhanced safety features make boat crews more effective in performing multiple missions. The crew sits lower to the waterline than it did in the 47-footer, which is better suited for heavy surf.

“We’re excited about this new platform,” said Rudometkin, whose crews partner often with Maui County Fire Department and Ocean Safety officers on response. “The 45 is a good fit for us in terms of speed and improving our response time from our station at Maalaea.”

The 47-foot MLB is primarily designed for fast response in high seas, surf and heavy weather, and can self-right in less than 30 seconds. It is better suited for the sometimes extreme conditions of Kauai’s Na Pali coast, says Cmdr. Amy Cocanour, Chief of Response at Sector Honolulu.

“This shifting of resources improves our response times on Kauai and Maui and gives our boat crews the best tools available to perform their duties,” said Cocanour, who supervises the Coast Guard’s operational response in the main Hawaiian islands. “Our goal is to keep our crews safe in order to better serve their communities of Kauai and Maui.”

As part of the small boat re-allocation, the Coast Guard will also shift the 87-foot Kittiwake from its home port of Nawiliwili Harbor to Honolulu before summer 2010. The crew of Station Kauai will use the 47 to respond to cases around Kauai and the cutter will be used for more missions throughout the islands, said Cocanour.

The 11-person crew of Kittiwake will be transferred to Oahu when the cutter is reassigned to Honolulu.

Search and rescue controllers with Coast Guard Sector Honolulu’s 24-hour command center in Honolulu Harbor were notified by the Honolulu Fire Department late Monday of a missing fisherman in a 14-foot vessel. The fisherman had left Waianae Small Boat Harbor earlier in the day at 6 a.m. and was heading toward Kaena Point.

The 25-year-old fisherman text messaged a friend via cell phone at 11:30 a.m. Monday to say he was returning to shore because of poor fishing. Last night, HFD and Honolulu Police Department officers confirmed the subject’s truck and trailer were still parked at the harbor. HFD launched a shore search and its Air 1 helicopter and the Coast Guard launched an air crew aboard an HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point.

At first light Tuesday, HFD’s Air 1 began a shoreline search out to three nautical miles and two Coast Guard air crews — one aboard an HH-65 and the other aboard a C-130 long-range search plane — began searching from three to 15 nautical miles off shore.

The pilot of the C-130 saw the fisherman waving for help in the middle of the Coast Guard’s projected search area. The command center’s SAR search and rescue controllers had accounted for drift, winds and sea currents.

The Coast Guard had been reading over VHF marine band radio channel 16 an urgent marine information broadcast or UMIB and another fishing vessel in the area picked up the distressed fisherman. The fisherman had drifted approximately 10 miles southwest of the Waianae Coast.

The Coast Guard advises mariners that among practical safety tips are the use of a VHF radio and use of a Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device PFD.

Remembering a few other safety precautions can also ensure boaters enjoy a safe time on the water:

• File a float plan — tell someone where you are going, when you will be back, the names of persons aboard and what route you plan on traveling;
• Use safety equipment — travel with a marine VHF radio or another form of communication such as an emergency position indicating radio beacon EPIRB. Being able to contact the Coast Guard is critical in case of an emergency;
• Don’t drink and boat — boating while intoxicated is against the law and can result in arrest or worse, cause a fatal accident;
• Be aware of the weather — the National Weather Service broadcasts marine weather forecasts regularly at www.nws.noaa.gov/ and for more information on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.

Coast Guard crews here have issued safety alerts, known as a Broadcast Notice to Mariners, to both recreational and commercial boaters throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The notices advise boat owners to either seek sheltered waters or make plans for departing their respective port.

Additionally, crews from Air Station Barbers Point have made pre-storm harbor survey flights over Maui and the Big Island ensuring critical infrastructure and boats are secure. Crews will continue to provide assessment flights through Tuesday.

Coast Guard Auxiliary crews are also out in the community ensuring recreational boaters are prepared.

Here are some tips for mariners:

• If you live or boat in an area prone to hurricanes or heavy weather, know your local and national weather sources and monitor them continuously. Get into the habit of reading weather signs and monitoring the weather;
• Contact local marinas and ask for advice. You will find marina operators knowledgeable and helpful. They can advise you on the best methods for securing your boat;
• Remove small boats from the water and move them to a secure location. Ensure the trailer and boat are secured above likely flood areas. Remove all loose items. Ensure the boat is tied securely to the trailer;
• If your boat is too large to be removed from the water, move it to a safe haven well before the storm approaches. You should know where safe havens are in the area where you boat.

Mariners in distress should contact the Coast Guard here via VHF channel 16 or by calling Coast Guard Sector Honolulu at 808-842-2600.

For more information, please visit these Web sites:

U.S. Coast Guard Storm Center: www.uscg.mil/news/stormcenter/

U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division: www.uscgboating.org/
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/

Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a mayday call at noon from the kayakers, via a hand-held radio, about their overturned kayak, which capsized approximately 100 yards off Kalaupapa.

An HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point was immediately launched to the scene.

The helicopter crew hoisted the two men aboard and transported them to awaiting Emergency Medical Services personnel on Molokai.

The two kayakers were wearing their life jackets. No injuries were reported.

Search and rescue coordinators in a 24-hour U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center in Honolulu Harbor received a patched distress call from the Hawaii County Fire Department at approximately 1 a.m. Wednesday after one of the fishermen used his cell phone to call 911.

The fishermen were about three miles southeast of Hilo when they hailed distress after their 19-foot small boat overturned. Coast Guard search coordinators immediately relayed the information to the air station and deployed rescue crews.

When the Coast Guard air rescue crews arrived on scene, the fishermen had drifted 12 miles south of Hilo. The co-pilot of the rescue helicopter spotted all three of the fishermen in the water, clinging to a cooler. The flight mechanic in the back of the HH-65 helicopter lowered a rescue basket and plucked all three from the water.

Once safely aboard the helicopter, the Coast Guard crew flew to Hilo International Airport and the fishermen were then transferred to an awaiting Hawaii county emergency medical services team. All of the distressed fishermen involved in the rescue were reported to be in good condition.

“We were lucky to be able to reach them via cell phone,” said Lt. j.g. Eric Majeska, a C-130 pilot at Air Station Barbers Point and an instrumental member of the rescue team. “It’s important to remind mariners to have the proper safety gear on board and to leave a plan with friends or families because that makes our job as rescuers that much easier.”

One of the most important safety practices boaters can take on the water is wearing a Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD).

“They were very fortunate to have a dry cell phone on board and it probably saved their lives,” said Charles Turner, a Coast Guard search and rescue coordinator at Sector Honolulu. “This case could have turned out a lot worse.”

Remembering a few other safety precautions can also ensure boaters have a safe time on the water:

• File a float plan — tell someone where you are going, when you will be back, the names of persons aboard and what route you plan on traveling;
• Use safety equipment — travel with a marine VHF radio or another form of communication such as an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB). Being able to contact the Coast Guard is critical in case of an emergency;
• Don’t drink and boat — boating while intoxicated is against the law and can result in arrest or worse, cause a fatal accident;
• Be aware of the weather — the National Weather Service broadcasts marine weather forecasts regularly. Check the NWS Web site at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/. For more information on boating safety, please visit: http://www.uscgboating.org.