Coast Guard suspends search for missing spearfisher off Maui

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 14th District Hawaii and the Pacific Contact: 14th District Public Affairs Office: (808) 535-3230 After Hours: HawaiiPacific@uscg.mil 14th District online newsroom

Coast Guard suspends search for missing spearfisher off Maui

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard suspended the active search for William Scott Stanga off Maui, Monday evening.

Stanga, 52-years-old, remains missing.

“We extend our condolences to the Stanga family during this trying time” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Jason Brian, a Sector Honolulu watchstander. “These types of cases are always the hardest for all involved and we wish the outcome had been different. Over the past days our crews, working closely with the Maui County Fire Department, conducted 35 searches covering 621 square nautical miles with no sign of Mr. Stanga. We suspended the active search today after sunset pending new information.”

Stanga was reported missing Friday after he failed to return from spearfishing off Paia. 

Involved in the search:

- An Air Station Barbers Point MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter crew

- An Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules aircrew

- A Station Maui 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crews

- The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter William Hart (WPC 1134)

- Maui County Fire Department ground and air crews

- Crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124)

At 10 p.m., Friday, Sector Honolulu received a report from the Maui County Dispatch reporting the situation. Stanga had gone spearfishing at 5 p.m. and when he did not return, his friends contacted 911 to report he was overdue.

Sector Honolulu watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners and deployed Coast Guard crews to search the area.

The weather on scene at the time of the call was winds of 23 mph and seas less then one foot.

-USCG-