Updated at 12:28 p.m., Tuesday, December 18, 2007
2 rescued as sailboat runs aground off Waikiki- video
Advertiser Staff
Firefighters rescued a man and a woman whose sailboat ran aground on a reef about 200 yards offshore in Waikiki early this morning.See the partially sunken sailboat in this ADVERTISER VIDEO.
The U.S. Coast Guard waited until daylight to deal with the sailboat, which remains on the reef directly behind the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki near Fort DeRussy Park.
Firefighters and police received a boater in distress call shortly before 1:30 a.m.
The couple on board, both in their 40s, wanted to remain with their craft until the U.S. Coast Guard appeared, but because of the darkness and unknown water depths and shorebreak, officials have opted to wait until first light to deal with the grounded boat.
The couple came to shore at about 2 a.m.
Coast Guard officials said friends of the man and woman aboard the 36-foot lancer sloop TeraMoana reported the vessel overdue to the Coast Guard and HFD at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The Fire Department's Air One spotted the TeraMoana almost a mile and a half off shore at midnight. The man and woman said at the time they were fine and did not need assistance.
At 1:22 a.m., the Coast Guard then received a "mayday" call from the TeraMoana, saying the vessel had run aground and was taking on water.
The Coast Guard launched a 41-foot motor lifeboat and crew from Honolulu to respond.
Almost 15 gallons of marine diesel fuel was removed this morning and Coast Guard pollution investigators will determine this morning if there is any further threat to the environment. No other fuel or oil was reported aboard.
