Firefighters yesterday rescued a man and a woman whose sailboat ran aground on a reef about 200 yards offshore from Waikiki.

Coast Guard officials said friends of the man and woman reported the vessel overdue to the Coast Guard and Fire Department at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

The Fire Department helicopter spotted the TeraMoana almost a mile and a half offshore at midnight. The man and woman said they did not need help. But at 1:22 a.m., the Coast Guard received a mayday from them.

The couple, both in their 40s, wanted to remain with their boat until the Coast Guard appeared but came to shore about 2 a.m.

The Coast Guard waited until daylight to deal with the 36-foot sloop, which ran aground off the Outrigger Reef Hotel.

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