HILO, Hawai'i — A 44-foot fishing boat was deliberately run aground north of Mahukona Harbor in North Kohala early yesterday after the 1950s-era vessel began taking on water, Big Island fire officials said.

The ocean surge battered the Aukaka against the rocks and finally broke it into pieces late yesterday morning. David Nottage Jr., son of Aukaka owner David Nottage Sr., said the boat was destroyed, and estimated the loss at $40,000.

David Nottage Jr. said his father had intended to travel from Honokohau Harbor in Kona to Moloka'i and then on to Ho-nolulu to place it in drydock for maintenance.

Fire officials said David Nottage Sr., his wife, Charlotte, and two friends were aboard when the Aukaka struck a reef north of Mahukona shortly before 3:30 a.m. Nottage turned around and tried to make it back to Mahukona.

"The boat was sinking, so they went into Mahukona ... and the boat was run aground because it had people on it and it was sinking, and it would have been pretty dangerous out in the ocean," David Nottage Jr. said. "He ran it into a likely spot where he knew the boat would hold for a while while they could abandon it."

The boat ended up aground about 30 feet offshore a half-mile north of Mahukona Harbor in about 8 feet of water, fire and Coast Guard officials said. The four people on board were removed on a fire department dinghy and taken to the harbor, fire officials said.

David Nottage Jr. said there were no injuries except for a minor cut suffered by his 75-year-old father.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Brooksann Epiceno said the owner had the portable fuel tanks removed from the vessel by yesterday afternoon, reducing the risk of pollution from a diesel spill. She added that the owner also hired a contractor to remove the remaining wreckage.

She said the Coast Guard will monitor the site for pollution, and will investigate to determine the cause of the wreck.

David Nottage Jr. said his father bought the boat about 1960, and had kept it as a family and pleasure boat ever since.

"The boat is gone. It's completely destroyed already," David Nottage Jr. said.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.