Coast Guard, partners searching for missing freediver off Kauai

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew West | The Coast Guard 14th District is responsible for a vast area of the Pacific Ocean including Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam. Coast Guard crews respond to many incidents in the region ranging from search and rescue to environmental response. (U.S. Coast Guard photo illustration by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released)  

HONOLULU, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

06.22.2021

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Fisher 

U.S. Coast Guard District 14 Hawaii Pacific

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, and Kauai Police Department are searching for a missing freediver off Kauai, Tuesday.

The 47 year-old male freediver was last seen wearing a black wetsuit and using a clear milk jug as a dive float in the vicinity of Glass Beach, Kauai.

Anyone with information regarding the freedivers whereabouts is requested to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center at 808-842-2600.

At 11:11 a.m., Monday, Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a report from the Kauai Police Department stating that the freediver did not return and his car remained in the parking lot at Glass Beach.

Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners and launched multiple Coast Guard assets. The Japan Coast Guard vessel Kojima, currently in Honolulu for search and rescue exercises, will also be joining the search.

Currently searching are:
- An Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules airplane aircrew
-An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
-Coast Guard Station Kauai 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew
-The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126)
-The crew of the Japan Coast Guard vessel Kojima (The 3rd PL21)
-Kauai Police Department
-Kauai Fire Department Air One helicopter aircrew

• Date Taken: 06.22.2021
• Date Posted: 06.22.2021 20:11
• Story ID: 399482
• Location: HONOLULU, HAWAII, US