A father and his two sons were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after their boat capsized off the coast of Lānaʻi, Hawaii. The incident occurred on Saturday (October 26), with the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center receiving a mayday call at 12:10 p.m. from the man stating his boat had capsized. However, the call did not include the boat’s location or further details.
In response to the distress call, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and an airborne HC-130 Hercules airplane crew were dispatched. The aircrews searched the waters west of Maui, south of Lānaʻi, and west of Kahoʻolawe until approximately 5:05 p.m. when the helicopter crew located a capsized 16-foot boat about 7 miles south of Mānele Harbor. The father and his sons, aged eight and 12, were found clinging to the hull of the boat without life jackets.
The helicopter crew deployed a rescue swimmer, hoisted all three people from the water, and transported them to Kahului Airport on Maui. No injuries were reported. The man reported his boat had capsized after being swamped by a wave. Weather conditions at the time of the rescues were nine mph winds and three to five-foot seas.
Lt. Zachary Kayser, command duty officer, Sector Honolulu command center, emphasized the importance of carrying a handheld marine radio and wearing life jackets when boating. He stated, "Emergencies unfold quickly and may not allow enough time to find and fasten a life jacket."
Watch the video of the dramatic rescue below: