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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 9, 2005

Woman disappears, but sailboard is found

By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu Fire and Police departments as well as the Coast Guard searched throughout the day yesterday for a missing sailboarder, in her 30s, who disappeared in the Kane'ohe Bay area yesterday morning.

Authorities identified the missing woman as Monica Weyant of Ka'a'awa.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said the woman, an experienced sailboarder and swimmer, went into the water near Kokokahi Camp on Kane'ohe Bay Drive.

"She went out about 9 o'clock, and was only going to be out for an hour or two," Tejada said.

When she hadn't returned by after 11 a.m., Tejada said her husband began searching for her. The fire department was alerted at 1:20 p.m. Tejada said his department scoured the water by boat and Air 1 Helicopter, while another crew searched the shoreline using personal water craft.

The effort was joined by a Coast Guard rescue helicopter, and was also assisted by the police department, Tejada said.

At around 3:40 p.m., the woman's sailboard was found on the shore at Lilipuna Road, across from Coconut Island. Authorities said the sailboard was positively identified by the woman's husband, Daniel Wey-ant. The board's rigging was found nearby in the water.

The fire department halted its search after sunset, but the Coast Guard continued looking for about two more hours.

Both the Coast Guard and fire department said if the woman wasn't found overnight, the search would resume this morning.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.