The sailboat Velero lies at a 45-degree angle on its port side on a coral reef in shallow water Wednesday, after a report that it was dragging its anchor Tuesday evening in front of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in Kihei. The U.S. Coast Guard responded to remove diesel fuel from the vessel, which has a hole in its hull, said Deborah Ward, spokeswoman for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. She said the boat is owned by Timothy Rego, who has no active mooring permit and no insurance. If the owner hasn’t taken steps to remove the boat after 24 hours, the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation will have a salvage company begin removing the vessel, Ward said. The photo was taken fronting Kalepolepo Beach Park, where Kimokeo Kapahulehua and youths were working on the wall of the Hawaiian fishpond Ko‘ie‘ie Loko I‘a.
KEVIN J. OLSON photo
KEVIN J. OLSON photo
