Sinking Fishing Vessel and Crew Safe in Honolulu
The fishing vessel Pacifica moored safely in Honolulu Harbor Monday after taking on water when insufficient shaft packing in the stern tube allowed water to flood the vessel approximately 144 miles north northeast of Oahu, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) reported.
USCG watchstanders at the Honolulu Command Center received a distress call from the commercial fishing vessel Pacifica at 8:58 a.m., Sunday, reporting that the vessel was taking on water at 10 gallons per minute and was continuing to make way toward Oahu at seven miles per hour.
An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew launched from Air Station Barbers Point at 9:29 a.m., arrived on scene at 10:05 a.m., dropped dewatering equipment to the fishing vessel and remained on scene until the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake arrived at 4:30 p.m. to provide additional assistance. The 87-foot patrol boat then escorted the fishing vessel back to the Port of Honolulu.
The fishing vessel had life rafts aboard and used dewatering pumps to keep up with the flooding.