What started as a Sunday outing off Aina Haina turned into a rough-water scramble when a 22-foot boat capsized inside the surf break locals call Snipes, leaving five people in the water and one woman in serious condition, authorities said. Honolulu Fire Department crews, Ocean Safety lifeguards and Emergency Medical Services teamed up in a tight multi-agency rescue that played out against a backdrop of high surf.
Rescue Unfolds Off Snipes
First responders were alerted to a boater in distress around 4:30 p.m., and Honolulu firefighters arrived just after 4:40 p.m., finding the overturned boat about 200 yards offshore, according to Hawaii News Now. Firefighters launched a rescue boat and set up a nearby landing zone on shore while lifeguards and ocean-safety rescue watercraft ferried all five people back to land. Crews transferred the patients to Emergency Medical Services shortly before 5:10 p.m.
Injuries And A Stuck Boat
As Hawaii News Now reported, "two firefighters with rescue boards and rescue tubes initiated search and rescue efforts." After everyone was brought to shore, a 40-year-old woman was taken to a hospital in serious condition, officials said. Attempts to right and tow the overturned 22-foot vessel went nowhere, with fire crews saying the boat was sitting in only about two feet of water. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will be contacted to work with the owner on salvage.
High Surf Warning And Safety Plea
According to the National Weather Service, a high surf warning for south-facing shores was in effect through 6 a.m. Tuesday, with forecasters calling for large breaking waves and possible coastal flooding during king tides. Officials urged boaters and beachgoers to stay out of the water while the surf remains elevated and to keep an ear on updates from local ocean-safety personnel.
