State and Maui County officials responded Friday to the groundings of three boats that had capsized in a quarter-mile stretch of coastline from Mala Wharf to the Lahaina Crossroads Apartments. A Maui County news release said it appeared the boats had broken free of their moorings and were being battered by high surf. The three boats are 30 to 40 feet long.

County fire department and ocean safety personnel responded about 10:40 a.m. to a report of boats grounded off Mala Wharf.

Lifeguards checked the ocean around the boats for people who may have been aboard, and witnesses on the beach told fire personnel that they saw no one on the boats or in the water.

State Department of Land and Natural Resources personnel took over jurisdiction of the incident.