Watch: Passenger Vessel Caught in Oahu Surf

The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring a passenger vessel that ran aground near Kewalo Basin in Honolulu. The Discovery, a 75-foot vessel operating as a shuttle for Atlantis Adventures, is currently secured to the seawall at Kewalo Basin awaiting commercial salvage.

Emergency response moved quickly to address potential environmental concerns. At 11 p.m. Saturday, personnel from the Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO) removed all accessible petroleum products from the vessel, including 2,275 gallons of diesel fuel and 36 gallons of hydraulic oil. Officials report no pollution or sheening has been observed in the surrounding waters.

“The safe removal of a large, grounded vessel is a complex undertaking that requires careful coordination and planning. We ask that beachgoers and boaters keep a safe distance from the Discovery as salvage operations continue,” Coast Guard Commander Daniel Brahan, Chief of Prevention at Sector Honolulu.

According to reports, the vessel’s operator stated that two large waves disrupted the vessel’s course before it lost propulsion upon grounding. Footage shows the incident:

There were reportedly no mechanical failures prior to the incident. The grounding occurred amid challenging sea conditions, with 5 mph winds and 8 to 10-foot seas, complicated by a building south swell that created 10 to 12-foot breaking waves along Oahu’s south shore.

Coast Guard watchstanders received the initial report at 8:25 a.m. Saturday that the Discovery had run aground approximately 60 feet outside Kewalo Basin Harbor with the captain and one crew member aboard. Though a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium was launched from Station Honolulu, shallow water and sea conditions prevented the boat crew from reaching the grounded vessel. Honolulu Ocean Safety Department jet ski crews confirmed the two people aboard were uninjured.

Salvage efforts began around 6:25 p.m. Saturday when Cates Marine Services and the tugboat Miki’oi secured lines to the Discovery. However, the operation had to be halted when the cleats failed to hold during the towing attempt.

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation are overseeing the vessel’s salvage operations. The Coast Guard continues to investigate the details of the grounding incident.

More video of the incident is below:

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