U.S. Coast Guard and Hawaii County Fire Department crews suspended their search for a missing 30-year-old fisherman near South Point, Big Island, Monday.At approximately 2:50 p.m. Saturday, Coast Guard search and rescue coordinators were notified by Hawaii County Fire Department of the missing fisherman. Coast Guard and fire department rescue crews conducted extensive round the clock land, sea and aerial searches.
Hawaii County Fire Department crews recovered a submerged body near the beach at South Point, at approximately 6:45 a.m. Monday. The body was brought to shore where it was confirmed to be the missing fisherman.
Gerald Kosaki, Hawaii County Fire Department Battalion Chief of Special Operations, said, “Although our search mission for the missing fisherman ended tragically, the combined efforts of the Hawaii Fire Department and the USCG, identified in the recent signed memorandum of agreement, with the County of Hawaii was truly a success. This combined capability allowed us to provide an extended search area from the shoreline to 17 miles offshore with a span reaching 47 miles.”