HONOLULU – The Coast Guard rescued a missing diver approximately two miles west of Ka’ena Point at 1:05 a.m. Monday.
An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew sighted the 45-year-old man while searching the area. The rescue swimmer aboard the Dolphin sighted the diver, without the use of night vision goggles, as the helicopter was departing the area to refuel. The missing diver used a dive flashlight to signal the aircrew.
The rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter and remained in the water with the diver until the Coast Guard Cutter Ahi arrived.
The diver was transported to Barber’s Point Harbor where he was met by emergency medical staff and family. The diver was reported to be in good health.
The man began diving at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday and was reported missing by friends at 3:30 p.m.
The Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department searched for a distance extending nine miles from the diver’s last known location.
To assist in the search, the Coast Guard used the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System to determine the search area with the highest probability for locating the missing diver. SAROPS is a computer program, which calculates environmental factors such as weather, wind speed and direction, current speed and direction and the size of the search object. From that data, a search area is calculated.
