Update 1: Coast Guard, Hawaii County searching for missing fishers off Hawaii Island

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard intends to continue searching for the two fishers presumed swept off the shore of Hawaii Island through Thursday night and into Friday.

An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew is scheduled to continue searching until the arrival of the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) at approximately midnight. The cutter’s crew will then continue the search for the rest of the night. More operations are planned for tomorrow at first light.

Upon further investigation it was discovered the missing fishers are James Oyama, 63, and Jay Jara, 37. Jay Jara is a family friend of the Oyamas.

Anyone with information about the missing fishers that may assist with the search is asked to call the Sector Honolulu command center at 808-842-2600.

Involved in the search so far:
- Hawaii County Fire “Chopper 1” helicopter crew
- Hawaii County Fire ground parties
- Hawaii County Police
- A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crew
- Two Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews
- Four U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific UH-1 Huey helicopter crews
- The crew of the Joseph Gerczak (en-route)

Hawaii County Dispatch relayed information to the Coast Guard at 7 a.m. reporting the two fishers overdue after receiving a report from a family member at 5:46 a.m. James Oyama and Jay Jara reportedly went fishing at 5 p.m. in street clothes Wednesday at Whittington Beach Park on the southeast side of the island and were expected back before midnight. Responders located both the fisher’s vehicles in the beach park and their gear onshore in the breaking surf zone.

The weather on scene is 28 mph winds and seas up to 11 feet.

-USCG-