Imagery Available: Coast Guard rescues mariner aboard disabled rowboat off Maui

News Release

November 8, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 14th District Hawaii and the Pacific Contact: 14th District Public Affairs Office: (808) 535-3230 After Hours: (808) 341-9849

 Imagery Available: Coast Guard rescues mariner aboard disabled rowboat off Maui

     

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

HONOLULU —The Coast Guard rescued a 32-year-old man and took his disabled ocean rowboat in tow approximately 35 miles northeast of Maui, Tuesday.

Ruihan Yu, a Chinese national, was reportedly conducting a trans-Pacific voyage from California to port calls in China and Taiwan aboard his 18-foot vessel when he suffered communication failures and a damaged rudder.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124), a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Honolulu, responded, took the vessel in tow and transited to about a mile off Kahului Harbor where they passed the tow over to a Coast Guard Station Maui 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew to bring the rowboat into the harbor. 

"It's always a good feeling to save someone at sea, and yesterday was no different," said Lt. j.g. Peter Driscoll, executive officer Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry. "We appreciate the close collaboration between Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, Air Station Barbers Point and Station Maui. This was Oliver Berry's first significant search and rescue case and we're pleased to have had a positive impact. We were able to assist Mr. Yu and he can now attempt repairs and completion of his voyage safely."

Watchstanders at Sector Honolulu first learned of Yu's situation at 8:16 a.m. Tuesday, via a relayed call from Coast Guard Sector San Francisco stating a friend of Yu's reported him in a potentially distressed situation due to a text message received from Yu on a two-way satellite communication device.

Watchstanders launched an HC-130 Hercules airplane aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point to the scene who established communication with Yu by dropping him a VHF radio. He relayed his concerns to the aircrew, but stated he was in no immediate danger.

Yu reportedly departed California June 9 on his voyage. He plans to stay in Maui until repair parts and a new Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon are delivered so he can effect repairs and continue his voyage to his final destination of Australia. 

Weather on scene was reported as east winds at 17 mph with 3 to 5-foot seas and 10 miles of visibility.

 

-USCG-