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Coast Guard medivacs woman from aground sailboat in Lanai
HONOLULU—The U.S. Coast Guard medically evacuated a 25-year-old woman from a sailing vessel after it ran aground outside of Ka’a Fishpond, Lanai, on Saturday.
Watchstanders at the Sector Honolulu Command Center received notification via Channel 16 at 7:28pm from 38-foot sailboat Raven that it was aground and taking on water on the east side of Lanai with three people aboard.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point and a Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Maui launched en route to the aground vessel.
When the RB-M crew arrived on scene at 9pm they assessed the location of the vessel and determined that they were unable to maneuver close enough to take the vessel in tow. The sailboat was hard aground but not in danger of sinking.
Two of the sailboat’s crew would remain overnight on the vessel.
Due to a preexisting medical condition of the third crewmember, watchstanders consulted a flight surgeon who made the recommendation for medical evacuation.
At 12:14am, a rescue swimmer was lowered into the water to hoist the patient and also supplied back-up VHF radios to the two remaining crewmembers.
The helicopter crew safely transported the patient to awaiting EMS at Kahului Airport.
Raven remains hard aground with one crewmember aboard until salvage arrangements can be made. The second crewmember kayaked into the beach at Ka’a Fishpond Sunday morning. (USCG)
