na hoku catamaran accident

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• Sunday, March 31, 2024
• Today's Paper

Big surf batters tour catamaran, leaving 5 injured

• By Star-Advertiser staff
• June 24, 2023

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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / [email protected]

A spokesperson for Na Hoku II, which operates the Na Hoku III catamaran that was involved in the incident, declined to comment.

At least five people were injured when four large waves slammed into a tour catamaran sailing near Kewalo Basin Harbor today.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services reported that more than 30 people were aboard the vessel when the incident occurred around 11 a.m. Paramedics transported one passenger in serious condition and two with minor injuries from the harbor to a nearby trauma facility. Two other passengers declined treatment.

The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory for the south-facing shores of all islands in effect until 6 a.m. Monday, with surf of 8 to 12 feet and strong breaking waves and currents making swimming dangerous.

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Coast Guard Report Blames Death Of Teen In 2006 On Unauthorized Modifications to Tour Boat's Mast

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Mary Vorsino , of the Honolulu Advertiser reports that the Coast Guard has reported on two tourist deaths in separate incidents. A 13 year old boy was killed on a catamaran off Waikiki in 2006 when the mast on the tourist catamaran buckled and killed the boy and injured three passengers.

In another investigation of a 2007 incident on the ocean near Lahaina on Maui, the Coast Guard has issued a report blaming that a crack in the structure that held the mast caused the mast to collapse killing a 48-year-old man from Illinois who was struck in the head. According to the Advertiser story:

The two catamaran incidents, just four months apart, were investigated together so the Coast Guard could examine its standards for inspecting commercial catamarans. Even before the investigations were completed, the Coast Guard in Honolulu decided to beef up its annual inspection standards, which now include a more thorough examination of catamaran masts. "We’ve implemented the procedures here … (and) there is discussion as to whether these" standards will be adopted nationally, Honolulu Coast Guard Capt. Barry Compagnoni said yesterday.

On December 1, 2006 the mast of the catamaran Na Hoku II buckled in three places, struck the head of Jordan Loser of Riverside, California and pinned him face-down on the cabin top. Jordan died as a result of the injuries. The boat was returning to Waikiki about 4:30 p.m. after a trip to Mamala Bay. The cause of the mast failure was unauthorized modifications made to the mast beginning in 2000 and not detected in Coast Guard inspections as late as April 2006.

A second passenger standing on the front left side of the vessel was struck on the head by falling rigging and knocked out. Two other passengers, in the front of the vessel near the cabin, also suffered injuries: one had a broken foot and pelvis, the other cuts to her shoulder and hand.

The Coast Guard report also notes that the master of the catamaran and one of its crew members tested positive for marijuana immediately after the incident. According to the Advertiser story:

The Coast Guard report said it is unclear whether marijuana use affected the crew members’ abilities "to respond to changing conditions on-scene in a manner that might have prevented the casualty." Passengers on board the vessel said the two crew members did not appear to be impaired.

The maximum fine for failing to report a modification to the Coast Guard is $6,500 per modification.

Our thoughts go out to the families. A tribute to Jordon Loser was made that celebrates his life and mourns the loss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BExbYiSDOs

In the Maui incident aboard the Kiele V on March 25, 2007 the "microscopic" failure in the structure that supports the mast occurred about 10 minutes from Ka’anapali Beach. The mast and rigging crashed down on Hal Pulfer, 48, of Highland Park, Illinois, killing him and injuring 2 other passengers. The Kiele V was carrying 47 passengers and five crew members at the time. After the mast fell, the catamaran started taking on water and later was abandoned and broke apart in rough seas overnight. An inspection of the Kiele V in September 2006 found no problems.

Nothing can make up for this these tragic incidents. We hope they will spur new efforts by tour boat operators to make the vessels safe for passengers.

Wayne Parsons

A resident of Honolulu, Hawaii, Wayne Parsons is an Injury Attorney that has dedicate his life to improving the delivery of justice to the people of his community and throughout the United States. He is driven to make sure that the wrongful, careless or negligent behavior that caused his clients' injury or loss does not happen to others.

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By Catherine E. Toth and Will Hoover Advertiser Staff Writers

A teenage boy was killed and two women badly injured off Waikiki yesterday when the mast on a commercial tour catamaran snapped, pinning the boy between the top deck and the cabin.

Witnesses said crew and passengers were unable to free him, but firefighters later were able to remove the mast by using airbags. The boy was airlifted to The Queen's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

A 41-year-old woman also was airlifted to Queen's in critical condition.

The third victim, a 41-year-old woman, was brought to shore on the catamaran, Na Hoku II, which had to be towed by a U.S. Coast Guard boat. She was taken to Straub Clinic & Hospital in serious condition.

Police said the boy was from California but released no names.

Jamie Brandon of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was aboard the catamaran yesterday when the incident happened.

"Everything was going along smoothly; it was a fun time," Brandon said. "(Then) all of a sudden the mast snapped in one place, maybe two, close to the top and maybe about halfway up.

"Cables were flying all over the place and gashed one person on the head," he said.

Brandon said the catamaran cruise started at 3:30 p.m.

"Everyone was in quite a bit of shock," Brandon said.

The Coast Guard received the distress call from the 45-foot Na Hoku II at approximately 4:20 p.m. The boat, which was carrying about two dozen passengers, was about three-quarters of a mile off the Elks Club, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. John Kino.

The Coast Guard sent its 47-foot motor launch and HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to the catamaran. Rescue personnel with the city's Ocean Safety Division arrived on the scene shortly thereafter.

According to emergency responders at the scene, the boy was unresponsive and pinned face-down. He was on the upper deck of the catamaran. The other two victims were on the lower deck.

The catamaran was towed to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.

John Savio, owner of Na Hoku II, surveyed his catamaran as it bobbed in the water at the harbor dock and tried to make sense of what went wrong.

"I don't know what happened," said Savio. "The mast broke and pinned the kid, and we couldn't get it off of him. I don't know why it broke, either — whether it was a wire, or just metal fatigue, or what."

Wes Mundy, conservation enforcement officer with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, said a joint investigation was being conducted by the DLNR, the Fire Department and the Coast Guard.

"The passengers who were uninjured have been taken care of, and arrangements made to get them back to their hotels," Mundy said.

Sea and wind conditions may have been factors in the accident, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's Emergency Services Department.

Northeast winds were in the 17-to-21-mph range yesterday afternoon.

"It was rough today," Cheplic said.

The boy and one woman were airlifted by helicopter to Kapi'olani Park, where ambulances were waiting to take them to Queen's.

Crowds of people flocked to Kapi'olani Park and the Waikiki natatorium to watch the rescue. Some snapped photos as helicopters flew overhead.

Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Michael De Nyse said he wasn't sure what the safety requirements are on tour catamarans or if Na Hoku II was up to code.

According to its Web site, Na Hoku II sails five times daily from Waikiki past Diamond Head and back.

The catamaran ties up in front of the Sheraton Moana Surfrider.

Such accidents aren't common in Hawai'i.

In July 2005, city lifeguards rescued a 40-year-old man when the mast on his sailboat snapped and struck him. The boat was about a mile offshore from Diamond Head.

In March 2004, the 47-foot Paragon Sailing Charters catamaran capsized, stranding 10 people on board for three hours before being rescued by a fishing boat from O'ahu. One of the passengers suffered a broken collarbone and a slight concussion.

In March 2000, nine passengers on a whale-watching sail suffered minor injuries when the catamaran Ho'onanea flipped over about four miles west of Waimea Bay.

Reach Catherine E. Toth at [email protected] and Will Hoover at [email protected] .

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Hawaii Island police investigate car crash that left 2 elderly women dead

WAIKOLOA (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii Island police are investigating a car crash in Waikoloa on Saturday that left two elderly women dead, said Hawaii Island police officials.

Police officials say the incident happened around 11:40 a.m. when a KIA SUV was heading east (mauka) on Waikoloa Road, near the 3-mile-marker, when the car crossed over the center line and struck a Chevrolet SUV head-on traveling west.

Officials say The driver of the Kia, 72-year-old Lynn Capell of Waimea, was transported to the North Hawaii Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:17 p.m.

Police say a 75-year-old man from Washington who was operating the Chevrolet and the front seat passenger, a 77-year-old man from Alabama, were also transported to the North Hawaii Community Hospital for further treatment.

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