Coast Guard rescues passenger on sailboat aground off Lanai
A 25-year-old woman was flown by helicopter to shore after the sailboat she was a passenger on was stranded off the east side of Lanai, authorities said.
Two other crew members, both men, were uninjured. One was able to kayak to shore while the other remained on the boat, Coast Guard Petty Officer Melissa McKenzie said on Sunday.
A salvage crew was expected to reach the stranded crewman by Monday.
Authorities said the 38-foot vessel, Raven, called the Coast Guard to report it had run aground near Kaa Fishpond and was taking on water. It was not in danger of sinking.
She said the woman has a pre-existing medical condition and was airlifted from the boat by an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter as a precaution.
She was hoisted from the boat just after midnight and flown to Kahului Airport to a waiting emergency medical services crew.
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“It was a pre-emptive move just to decrease the chances of any potential incident,” McKenzie said.