UPDATE: Coast Guard joins search for missing mariners off Kiribati

HONOLULU, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

12.22.2020

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Fisher 

U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District

HONOLULU — Coast Guard and maritime partners have located all four missing mariners from two search and rescue missions off Kiribati, Tuesday.

The three mariners aboard the 15-foot wooden skiff were located 460-miles southwest of their original departure point by the commercial fishing vessel Jin Hui 18. The remaining mariner from the second search and rescue mission was located 140-miles west of his original departure point by an Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules aircrew where a nearby good Samaritan was able to successfully rescue the mariner.

“Through the dedicated professionalism and teamwork with our search and rescue partners we
were able to save four members of the Pacific maritime community and bring them back home to
their families,” said Lt. j.g. Sarah Chen.

At 8:57 p.m., Thursday, JRCC Honolulu watchstanders received agency assist requests from JRCC Fiji for three overdue mariners on a 15-foot wooden skiff off of Kiribati. JRCC Honolulu received a second agency assist request on Saturday for one mariner on a disabled 20-foot wooden skiff approximately 150-miles from the first search location.

• Date Taken: 12.22.2020
• Date Posted: 12.23.2020 01:20
• Story ID: 385669
• Location: HONOLULU, HAWAII, US