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Two mariners pulled from sea after boat capsizes

Two boaters were rescued from their overturned 13-foot Boston Whaler, 1 mile off Kahoolawe, on Friday. — U.S. Coast Guard / Petty Officer 3rd Class ALEX HUTSON photo

Two people were rescued Friday morning after they were found hanging on to a floating cooler near an overturned 13-foot Boston Whaler that began taking on water 1 mile off Kahoolawe, the Coast Guard reported.

A Coast Guard Station Maui 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew rescued the two mariners, righted and dewatered the boat, and towed it back to Maalaea Small Boat Harbor, the Coast Guard reported. There were no reports of injuries.

The Maui Fire Department and ocean safety officers on rescue watercraft also responded to the 8:15 a.m. report from police dispatch. One boater had called 911 to report the boat began taking on water from over its side and capsized because of the added weight, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders spoke with a boater by phone and obtained his location using the device’s compass application. Watchstanders then vectored in the rescue boat crew, who found the two boaters, the Coast Guard reported.

An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew also responded. The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Joseph Gerczak diverted to the location in response to an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners.

Referring to the joint effort by the crews and agencies, Petty Officer 3rd Class Masato Nakajima, a Sector Honolulu watchstander, said, “Each unit brings its own unique capabilities to an incident and our crews often train together to respond to just such a case.”

Variable winds with seas up to 2 feet were reported at the time.

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