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94-foot yacht freed from Maui rocky shoreline only to sink 800 feet deep

Nearly two weeks after a 120-ton, 94-foot luxury yacht grounded in Honolua Bay on Maui, a salvage ship and a tugboat from Honolulu finally freed the vessel named Nakoa from the rocky shoreline.

But there is no happy ending for the yacht.

It is now at the bottom of the ocean, about 800 feet deep.

The multimillion-dollar yacht had suffered severe holes in the hull during the days it was grounded, with the rough surf pounding it repeatedly against the rocks of the shoreline.

“It had taken on water, was listing starboard and riding bow high after being pulled free by a tractor tug early this afternoon,” according to the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

The yacht sank.

It was the end to an ordeal that began nearly two weeks ago when the yacht grounded just outside the Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Bay Marine Life Conservation District. Although the area has day-use moorings with a time limit of two hours, yacht owner Jim Jones told media that he didn’t know the rules  and stayed overnight with his family when one of the lines snapped and the boat hit the rocks.

It has been quite the ordeal to salvage the boat.

Once the boat stated leaking fuel, the U.S. Coast Guard federalized the vessel, meaning it has jurisdiction over the yacht which cannot be moved until all hazardous material was removed .

When that process was done the state Department of Land and Natural Resources took over because Jones said he did not have the money to pay for the salvage operation. The state organized and is paying for the operation, but will be sending Jones a bill, which initially was for $460,000 plus. But that will be sure to go up due to all the problems encountered during the salvage.

Once the hazardous material was removed, Visonary Marines’s salvage ship Kahi from Honolulu tried to removed the yacht from the reef but failed after multiple pulls. Sause Brothers’ tractor tug Mary Catherine was called in from Honolulu to help, but the second attempt with both boats also failed. Then bad weather forced both salvage boats to return to Honolulu.

They returned to Maui on Saturday.

A crew from the salvage ship rigged lines to the yacht Nakoa   all day Saturday and Sunday morning to prepare for the third attempt.

Prior to the 3,300-horsepower tug hooking up, the salvage crew used a carbon cutter to free either the yacht’s prop or rudder, believed to be the reason earlier attempts did not succeed, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

On Sunday, there were ideal weather and ocean conditions for the complex and costly operation. Once the tug turned the boat 90 degrees it pulled out into deeper water. 

“The yacht was listing to one side and riding bow high and it’s unknown at this time whether it was successfully pulled all the way to Honolulu or had to be scuttled in 1,000-foot-deep water offshore,” the Department and Land and Natural Resources said.

Department Chair Dawn Chang watched the salvage operation on Sunday with Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin. Chang said she heard almost immediately from Randy Cates, the owner and operator of Visionary Marine. 

“I’m beyond words,” Chang said. “I extended our appreciation to him and his crew for doing a tough, thankless job when others in the industry were questioning the wisdom of taking it on. We all thought today was it. It was either going to happen or not. I’m extremely pleased.” 

Chang said the state will aggressively pursue recouping all salvage costs from the owner, which originally were set at $460,000 plus before delays and the need for a second boat were included in the cost.

It also does not include the cost to repair damage to coral reefs and live rock. A team from the state Division of Aquatic Resources will return to the grounding location this week to conduct a post-incident damage assessment. 

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Maui officials: Luxury yacht that ran aground near marine sanctuary leaked fuel into bay

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Maui officials confirmed the luxury yacht grounded near a marine sanctuary leaked fuel into the bay.

The 94-foot vessel got stuck on the reef on Monday at Honolua Bay. The extent of the leak is unknown at this time, and it’s prompting calls for action.

“The whole community is kind of little disturbed ... it’s just kind of shocking ... from an environmental aspect,” said West Maui resident Darren McDaniel. “So many people that have given so much of their heart and soul into taking care of this place, makes me teary eyed.”

On Tuesday, a sheen of diesel fuel was visible in waters surrounding the boat and people nearby complained of the stench of fuel in the air.

“People are angry. People are pissed. That’s for sure,” said Napili resident Mike Jucker. “It is very sad.”

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), and a private contractor are trying to dislodge the 94-foot Nakoa and prevent any more pollution.

“Honolua Bay is in our Marine Life Conservation District. It’s got a wealth of marine life. It’s important environmentally, ecologically, culturally. And of course, also from ocean user point of view, it has a high recreation value. This is one of the most popular waves on Maui,” said Lauren Blickley, Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Regional Manager.

DLNR officials said the yacht can’t be moved until all fuel, batteries, and any other pollutants on board are removed. That process may involve a helicopter and is expected to take at least through Wednesday.

“What I understand, there’s no boom, which is used to contain an oil spill, or fuel spill. There’s no boom readily available on Maui. So, it’s having to be flown or shipped in from Oahu,” said DLNR Senior Communications Manager Dan Dennison. “That may take a little while.”

DLNR officials said it will likely be a few more days before the vessel is freed from the rocks and reef.

“Once the fuel and other potential hazards are removed, the USCG will release the vessel back to the owner. At that time, he will need to provide the DLNR an acceptable salvage plan for the vessel’s removal,” Dennison said.

DLNR said it’s investigating what led to the Nakoa grounding and citations and fines could be levied based on the findings of that investigation.

“This morning, a team from the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) did an initial underwater assessment of potential damage to coral reefs and live rock. Divers noted an estimated 30 coral and live rock were damaged but will need to return to do a more thorough assessment once the vessel is removed. Based on those findings, the boat’s owner could face significant penalties as determined by the State Board of Land and Natural Resources. Corals and live rock (other non-coral reef organisms) are protected by State law,” said Dennison.

DLNR said active leaks have stopped because one of the owner’s friends managed to board the yacht and shut off all the pumps.

The Coast Guard said the Federal On-scene Coordinator opened the National Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund “federalizing efforts to mitigate potential pollution to the environment.”

Maui County issued an emergency permit allowing special equipment to remove the yacht to prevent further damage to the reef and the ecosystem.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. issued a statement on the incident:

“I spoke with Governor Green today and shared the concerns our community has on what has happened at Honolua Bay and the need to expedite response efforts to protect the marine sanctuary and remove the grounded vessel. I share those concerns as well. I also received an update from DLNR director Dawn Chang that outlined the department’s actions and next steps requiring the involvement of the U.S. Coast Guard. I’ve conveyed that this is a serious matter and appreciate the attention of the Governor and his administration to address the situation. I understand that this is under the jurisdiction of State and Federal agencies and I’ve been assured that their efforts are being done urgently. I’ve assigned senior staff to carefully monitor the situation and offer support when appropriate.”

The owner of a luxury yacht has apologized.

Jim Jones, the owner of Noelani Yacht Charters, told Hawaii News Now he was anchored offshore with his family for the past two days, and then something went wrong at around 5:45 a.m. Monday.

“While we’re underneath the boat during our pre-check, the mooring line broke,” said Jones.

“As we come out of the boat, it was too late.”

Jones said he’s sorry for running aground at Honolua Bay and added that no negligence was involved.

“It was a freak accident and worst timing ever,” said Jones. “We couldn’t have done anything about this, and we’re doing everything we possibly can to try to get off of here.”

The 94-foot boat called The Nakoa is stuck in a prime surf spot and near a marine sanctuary where Honolua Coalition has been opposing developments and protecting the bay for nearly 15 years.

“It is a terrible optic, it’s just something you just would dream of never seeing, and it happened today,” said John Carty of Honolua Coalition.

”We’re hoping for the best that the damage can be minimized.”

The nonprofit Malama Kai Foundation said the public is allowed to use Day-use Moorings Buoys on a first-come, first serve basis with a two-and-a-half hour time limit.

Jones said he wasn’t warned of the rules and stayed there for two days.

“There’s nobody that contacted us ever about, ‘hey, you can’t be in this bay, you can’t hook up to an anchor here,’” said Jones. “And so, if somebody would have said that, we would have got out of here.”

Maui Community Advocate Tiare Lawrence is asking for the State to step up.

“Really push forward and passing sensible legislation to protect these places and to enforce,” said Lawrence. “There’s a lack of enforcement, we hear it all the time, and they really need to step up.”

Jones said they’re hoping to be out by 4 a.m. on Tuesday when it’s supposed to be high tide. The company will have to pay for the removal costs.

Maui County issued the following statement:

“In response to the increasing risk of damage to the reef and ecosystem at Honolua Bay, a marine sanctuary in West Maui, the County of Maui exercised its ability to issue an emergency Special Management Area permit that would allow equipment to access the site via the shoreline and assist in dislodging the vessel from the reef it is resting on and enable it to reach deeper water to exit the area. The emergency permit, authorized by Acting Planning Director Kathleen Ross Aoki was issued late this afternoon following discussions with West Maui Councilmember Tamara Paltin and the excavation company. This action comes after attempts during an afternoon high tide failed. The State must still issue a corresponding permit for the work that also involves DLNR jurisdiction beginning at the high water mark and into the ocean. We are pleased to be able to rapidly respond to a situation in dire need. The longer the vessel remains in the sensitive area the higher the risk of damage.”

Despite an offer from a private excavation company and an emergency permit provided by Maui County, the land department said it does not currently plan to issue a permit allowing an excavator to try and push the boat out from land.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

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• Tuesday, March 19, 2024
• Today's Paper

Grounded yacht sinks to bottom of the sea after freed off Maui

• By Star-Advertiser staff
• March 6, 2023

COURTESY DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

After two failed attempts, efforts to salvage the grounded luxury yacht in west Maui will continue this weekend.

The grounded luxury yacht Nakoa in west Maui as seen on Feb. 27. After several towing attempts and a fuel leak over the past two weeks, the luxury yacht Nakoa is now at the bottom of the channel between Molokai and Maui.

Officials from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Sunday evening that the yacht was scuttled at sea after taking on water. Read more

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After several towing attempts and a fuel leak over the past two weeks, the luxury yacht Nakoa is now at the bottom of the channel between Molokai and Maui.

Officials from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Sunday evening that the yacht was scuttled at sea after taking on water.

It was pulled free by a tractor tug earlier that afternoon, but had been listing starboard, then sunk, with only its bow visible above the water a few miles offshore.

It is estimated to be resting about 800 feet deep, with no plans to bring it back up, officials said.

The 94-foot, 120-ton luxury yacht was finally pulled free after a third attempt Sunday. The original plan was to tow it back to Honolulu, according to officials.

The Nakoa first ran aground on President’s Day in February on a reef at Honolua Bay, just outside of the Honolua-Mokule‘ia Marine Life Conservation District on the northwestern coast of Maui, after slipping loose from a mooring.

The vessel belongs to Jim Jones, who runs Noelani Yacht Charters LLC, which business registration records show runs luxury yacht charters from a Honolulu address.

A business website advertises packages for chartered tours aboard Nakoa starting at $9,801.04 from Maui.

Dawn Chang, DLNR Chair, said this morning on “Spotlight Hawaii” that the department was working with the state attorney general’s office to fully investigate the situation and to hold the owner or owners accountable for the incident.

She said the owner was not authorized to be at Honolua Bay, nor to tie up to the mooring there.

At least 20 coral species have been impacted, she said, based on a DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources survey assessment prior to the vessel’s removal.

“We are going to utilize all of our resources to hold he and whoever owns that vessel accountable for all damages and all resources that were spent to take this action,” she said, “including the salvage crew, including administrative costs, including damages to the coral reef.”

DLNR said in a news release that DAR team would return for a post-incident damage assessment of the site.

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Grounded yacht sinks to the ocean floor

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Courtesy of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources

Contractors attach tow lines to the Nakoa, a luxury yacht, on Sunday in Honolua Bay, Maui. The yacht had been stuck on a reef for nearly two weeks.

The luxury yacht Nakoa sinks off the coast of Honolua Bay, Maui, after it was freed from the reef it was stuck on for nearly two weeks. It was scuttled intentionally on Sunday.

HONOLUA BAY, Maui — The 120-ton luxury yacht stuck on the shore reef of Honolua Bay was finally freed over the weekend, only to then be sunk to the bottom of the ocean on Sunday.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources had been struggling to remove the yacht Nakoa since its grounding on Feb. 20, allegedly caused by a mooring line severing while its owner, Jim Jones, was aboard with his family.

After two failed attempts to refloat the craft last week, the yacht was pulled from the reef at around 1 p.m. on Sunday in a joint effort by the salvage ship Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC, and tractor tug Mary Catherine, operated by Sause Brothers Inc., according to a statement from the department.

Shortly after, the DLNR reported the vessel had “taken on water, was listing starboard and riding bow high.”

The department’s initial plan was to take the yacht back to Honolulu, but that option became unfeasible when the boat started sinking due to holes in its hull. Instead, its contractors scuttled the vessel in 800 feet of water.

“Scuttling the vessel was always a possibility,” said Dan Dennison, DLNR’s senior communications manager, in a March 6 email response to The Garden Island.

According to Dennison, the yacht now lies at the bottom of the channel between Maui and Moloka‘i.

The Garden Island could not reach Jones for comment regarding his yacht being deliberately sunk at sea.

But Dennison repeated previous statements that Jones will be responsible for all costs associated with the removal, as well as additional costs for damage to the reef and live rock.

Dennison added that an increase in costs still remains to be determined, and that he was not aware of any contact between Jones and the DLNR since the salvage.

The department previously reported it would charge Jones $460,000 just for the yacht’s removal, not including any environmental damage.

Damage to the area, located just outside the Honolua-Mokule‘ia Bay Marine Life Conservation District, has been a major topic of concern for both government officials and community members since the incident first occurred.

Dennison claimed that sinking the yacht would not cause any significant marine pollution.

“As for the environmental impacts associated with the scuttling, they should be minimal, as all fuel and hazardous materials had been previously removed by a contractor working under the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard,” he said, adding any items that were on the surface or floated up were also collected.

State Board of Land and Natural Resources Chair Dawn Chang also addressed concerns about environmental damage in an interview shortly after the yacht’s removal, noting her appreciation of community members who have been monitoring and watching the scene to ensure that “this special resource is protected.”

“I will assure you, the department is going to use all of its resources, including the attorney general’s office, to hold this vessel and its owners accountable,” she said, “both for the damages to the reef, the environment, all the costs associated with the removal of the vessel, as well as all of the administrative costs.”

Chang said a team from the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources plans on conducting a post-grounding damage assessment of the coral and live rock later this week.

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Extensive coral damage from luxury yacht that ran aground off Maui

KAPALUA, Hawaii — The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources sent divers to the site where a luxury yacht ran aground off Maui and found damage to nearly 20,000 square feet of coral and live rock.

What You Need To Know

A team with the division of aquatic resources assessed damage from when the yacht ran aground and when it was dragged off the flat reef into deeper water during the intitial grounding, 19 coral colonies were damaged when the boat was dragged off the reef, two parallel scars damaged 101 coral colonies dlnr said the yacht’s owner is responsible for costs related to salvaging the yacht and damaging coral.

The yacht, Nakoa, ran aground just outside the Honolua-Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District two weeks ago and was finally freed on Sunday after three attempts. It then sank in 800 feet of water, where it will remain. 

The four-person DAR team assessed both initial damage from when the vessel was grounded and scars from when the boat was dragged off the flat reef surface into deeper water. 

The assessment revealed that, during the initial grounding, 19 coral colonies were damaged. 

From when the boat was dragged off the reef, there are two parallel scars that extend 246 feet into the water. The first 49 feet comprises deep, trench-like scars, which are about 16 feet apart. In this area, the DAR team found 101 damaged coral colonies, and damage to live rock covering nearly 2,099 square feet. 

After DAR completed the assessment, a team with the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute collected more than 100 fragments from damaged coral. The team plans to recover more fragments soon. The Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute will grow out the coral fragments at its lab for future coral restoration projects. 

The Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute team also identified colonies of dislodged corals that will be reattached when the weather improves. 

DLNR said the yacht’s owner is responsible for costs related to salvaging the yacht and damaging coral and live rock. The salvage company and tug company will not be held responsible for any damage. 

A final version of the assessment will be presented to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. DAR will also recommend fines and penalties for the damage. 

Michelle Broder Van Dyke  covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at  [email protected] .

LATEST NEWS

Maui businessman, captain sued for $2M after grounding luxury yacht

A business owner whose luxury yacht ran aground and leaked diesel fuel into waters off Maui last month is being sued for more than $2 million in damages by a trust that sold him the vessel.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Honolulu on Monday seeks at least $1.45 million for the loss of the yacht, which was supposed to be paid off over the course of 15 years. It also seeks at least $500,000 for salvage work and at least $500,000 for environmental damages.

Kevin and Kimberly Albert, trustees of the Albert Revocable Trust in New Mexico, filed the lawsuit against Jim Jones, his company Noelani Yacht Charters, and ship captain Kimberley Kalalani Higa.

The lawsuit says the only approved captain on the insurance policy was Joe Bardouche. Both have a 100 T U.S. Coast Guard license.

The lawsuit says Jones and his company used the vessel “in a grossly negligent manner” for a personal trip without seeking the approval of the trust.

The 94-foot yacht Nakoa ran aground in Honolua Bay on Feb. 20 after its mooring line snapped. Private contractors towed the ship out to sea, where it sank in about 800 feet (244 meters) of water on March 5.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources plans to bill Jones for the $460,000 cost of salvaging the boat. It's also considering fines after the episode damaged coral reef.

The lawsuit says Jones notified the trust after the grounding that he had taken the yacht out for personal use.

It says Jones and Noelani Yacht Charters breached a purchase agreement holding the buyer responsible for any risk of loss or damage. The agreement also outlined operations, crew requirements and restricted uses.

A phone message left for Jones at Noelani Yacht Charters was not immediately returned. The company's website says it's no longer in business.

The company told The Maui News in February that “this was a family retreat with an unfortunate ending.”

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Maui Yacht Owner: ‘I Didn’t Know What I Was Getting Into’

Jim Jones says he wants to make things right, but former employees and Maui residents say he shouldn't have a boat.

Jim Jones says he wants to make things right, but former employees and Maui residents say he shouldn’t have a boat.

The owner of a luxury yacht that ran aground last month in Honolua Bay is trying to salvage his reputation as efforts continue this week to remove his 94-foot Sunseeker from a delicate reef off Maui.

“We are taking full responsibility for this,” Noelani Yacht Charters owner Jim Jones said Thursday. “We’re not running.”

That assurance may not be enough to persuade Maui politicians, community advocates and local mariners who say he shouldn’t stay in business at all. Several of his former workers have said he repeatedly ignored state boating regulations and skirted recommended safety practices, to the point where multiple people who worked with Jones said they quit because of risky behavior.

“He shouldn’t be allowed to have a boat,” a former worker said, speaking on the condition of anonymity .

Jones said he started out with a dream to buy a boat. A woodworker by trade, he began looking for one a few years ago around Honolulu and first set his eyes on a 65-footer — a “big monster boat.”

But his friend, a boat captain, cautioned him against getting one so big for his first vessel. Plus, harbors to store boats of that size are scarce in Hawaii. Where would he put it?

So Jones kept looking until 2020, when he settled on what he thought was the perfect opportunity: a 74-foot yacht that came with its own slip in Kewalo Basin Harbor. It had been used for charters in the past, and by renting it out in the future, Jones hoped it would pay for itself. The owner agreed to let him pay it off over time, sealing the deal.

In the height of the pandemic, Jones began pouring his resources into marketing and establishing a “luxury yacht image,” equipped with private chefs, bartenders and local musicians. 

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I just figured it was something to pay the bills,” Jones said. “And then once this thing took off, we’re going, ‘Holy shit.’”

Now Jones is trying to assure government officials and the community that he will cover the cost of a nearly $500,000 salvage job .

On Feb. 20, Jones said he was on a family outing, spending the weekend in Honolua Bay, when his mooring line failed while attached to a mooring that’s only allowed to be used for two hours at a time.

The Nakoa, a 94-foot yacht that Jones said he brought to Hawaii in December, ended up drifting onto the reef. By the next day, the hull had been punctured, and diesel fuel spilled into the water leading into one of Maui’s most beloved marine sanctuaries . 

In the days that followed, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that it was putting up $460,000 to try to haul the 120-ton yacht away. But after unsuccessful attempts and delays because of stormy weather, the yacht remained on Thursday evening.

DLNR officials said earlier this week that the salvage ship Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine, will return to Maui on Friday or Saturday. 

“We’ve been talking to the DLNR to let them know we’re not leaving them with the bill,” Jones said.

Jones said he was working with his insurance company to cover the cost. Asked to provide a copy of his coverage, he declined, citing the current investigation into the incident. He said he didn’t know the specifics of his insurance policy or how much it covered. 

“I feel his actions were extremely irresponsible,” said Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin, who has long fought to protect Honolua Bay. “I don’t think he fully understands how special a place Honolua is to so many of us and just how much aggravation he has caused our community.” 

As Jones works with attorneys, insurance agents and the state, he said he’s also determined to make amends with the Maui community and work to restore his company’s reputation. Since the incident in Honolua, he said he’s continued to run charters on his Oahu-based yacht, the Noelani, which will help him pay the debts he owes. 

But the Noelani has its own history of problems. The boat caught fire in Kewalo Basin Harbor in October, according to the Honolulu Fire Department.

Asked about the incident, Jones said the fire broke out in a guest suite, just as he was flying out of state to purchase the Nakoa. He blamed the fire on incandescent light bulbs that are common in older boats. Fortunately, he said, the Honolulu Fire Department responded and contained the fire from spreading out of the room. 

“When I first got a boat, my friends were telling me, ‘No, don’t get a boat; it’s nonstop problems,’” Jones said. “There’s constantly stuff going on.”

But mariners interviewed by Civil Beat say fires aren’t one of the nonstop problems boat owners regularly face.

“I can’t think of a reported fire incident in Maalaea Harbor in the 40 years I’ve been here,” said Michael Wildberger, a captain on Maui who’s run thousands of snorkel tours.

Catering To The Jet Set

After buying his first yacht in 2020, Jones said he quickly realized that catering to the ultra-wealthy in search of day trips on megayachts was an untapped market in Hawaii. High-end hotels were looking for luxury activities to send their clients on, Jones said.

In his marketing strategy, he made it clear: Noelani Yacht Charters wasn’t a basic fishing or snorkeling charter. His website advertises trips on Maui starting at $9,800 . 

“We cater to these guys that are flying in on their private jets,” Jones said. 

For almost two years, Jones grew his business with the Noelani, until he found an investor willing to help him acquire the Nakoa, the vessel that ran aground last month.

At first, Jones said he thought the investor would pay the transportation costs to have the Nakoa sent to Hawaii from overseas. When the investor suddenly said he wouldn’t cover that cost, Jones said he put up the money for the transport, which meant he missed out on paying almost $290,000 for the final payment he owed for the Noelani.

He was later sued for not making that payment, as well as failing to pay back $100,000 he borrowed from another person to pay for the Noelani.

Jones downplayed the lawsuits, calling them mutual agreements and “just records of the payment plans that we’ve created.”

With the Nakoa, Jones dreamed of expanding his business to allow multinight charters to Maui, where he planned to whisk clients away to snorkel trips around Molokini or head over to Hulopoe Bay on Lanai. He said he discovered Honolua Bay during trips on the Noelani, describing it as a place he couldn’t believe he could visit with a yacht of that size. 

Jones said he took his family to Honolua for a holiday weekend last month, and tied up at the mooring that’s only supposed to be used for two hours at a time. Asked if he was aware of the rule, Jones said was never informed of it by the Coast Guard or DLNR but had been “getting flak from day one” from Maui tour companies in the bay. 

“When you have the same company coming in, they’re switching boats every two hours,” he said. “What’s the difference of that versus us just staying there?”

It’s not the only law that community members have complained about Noelani Yacht Charters allegedly violating.

A month before the Nakoa ran aground, Tina Wildberger, South Maui’s former state lawmaker, wrote to DLNR about a dinghy shuttling passengers between the yacht and Kihei Boat Ramp, which she said isn’t allowed without a permit.

“There’s some serious high end pirate action happening here with these yachts,” Wildberger said in her January email to DLNR. “Does this vessel have a special permit to pick up passengers at Kihei Boat Ramp today?”

The next day, Wildberger got her answer: The boat didn’t have a special permit. 

Jones said he often stopped at Kihei Boat Ramp to make crew runs, including going to Ace Hardware. He denied picking up passengers though. He said that he doesn’t have a commercial permit for the Nakoa, but that he operates his business in a way that allows him to get around that. 

“That’s a whole other gray area,” Jones said.

His first boat, the Noelani, has a commercial permit. But Jones said he ran the Nakoa with a workaround called “bareboat charters.” That means that he rents the boat out to people without providing any crew. Instead, he can suggest when they rent the boat that the clients hire the crew that he’s vetted ahead of time. It’s a business model that’s popular among yacht rental businesses.

For now, Jones said he’ll keep running tours on the Noelani out of Oahu while charting his next steps. He’s hoping to find a replacement for the Nakoa and continue his expansion to Maui — if residents will have him.

“I’m hoping that we can meet everybody personally, to apologize to them face to face — let them know that and show them that I am local,” Jones said. “I think once we talk, they’ll realize I’m just like them.”

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by grants from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation and the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation.

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VIDEO: Luxury yacht sinks in Maui

Published on March 10th, 2023 by Editor -->

Debris now litters Honolua Bay in the area where the luxury yacht now sits at the bottom of the ocean. Nakoa, a 94-foot 2004 Sunseeker, ran aground on February 20 and two weeks later sank in 800 feet of water before it could be towed to Honolulu, 90 miles away.

Located near the northern tip of Maui, the mooring it was on failed, and then the yacth drifted onto a reef near a marine sanctuary. Contractors provided pollution mitigation, putting absorbent materials inside the vessel to capture any loose products, and placed a containment boom around the vessel.

They also pumped diesel from the vessel fuel tanks into 55 gallon drums which were airlifted by helicopter and transported to land for disposal. Fourteen batteries were also airlifted for disposal.

Tags: accident , US Coast Guard

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Coast Guard, partners to conduct search and rescue exercise off Maui, March 20

The Coast Guard, Maui Fire Department, Ocean Safety Bureau, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are scheduled to conduct a search and rescue exercise on Wednesday, off the coast of Maui.

The exercise will take place March 20, on the water and in the air off Kīhei Boat Ramp with Coast Guard and local agencies working together to test and evaluate interagency communications, response plans and responders’ actions during a simulated exercise of a missing mariner.

The exercise will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Access may be limited to Kīhei Boat Ramp, while the Coast Guard and partner agencies establish an incident command post at this location during the exercise.

During the search and rescue exercise, multiple agencies’ assets will be launched, including the use of multiple mannequins in the water. The mannequins are used to simulate a person in the water. The public is asked not to disturb the mannequins if found.

Assets are expected to include: a Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station Maui, a MH-65 helicopter crew Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Maui Fire Department’s Air 1 helicopter and rescue boat, a rescue watercraft from Ocean Safety, and jet boat and jet skis from DLNR.

The SAREX is being conducted to evaluate notification and response procedures between first responders and to identify shortfalls in communication and coordination of response during SAR incidents. Each agency holds special capabilities that compliment each other’s efforts and bolsters the overall success of the SAR system.

Although people are requested to stay clear of assets as they respond to the scene and engage in operations (designated by the presence of search objects, responding boats and other assets), the public should remain vigilant and call 911 to report any possible distress situations.

Coast Guard duty personnel will not be affected by the exercise and will be available to respond to any ongoing and emergency search and rescue cases.

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Luxury yacht finally freed from Maui near-shore reef only to sink in 800 feet of water

Nearly two weeks after a 120-ton, 94-foot luxury yacht grounded in Honolua Bay on Maui, a salvage ship and a tugboat from Honolulu finally freed the vessel named Nakoa from the rocky shoreline.

But there is no happy ending for the yacht.

It is now at the bottom of the ocean, about 800 feet deep.

The multimillion-dollar yacht had suffered severe holes in the hull during the days it was grounded, with the rough surf pounding it repeatedly against the rocks of the shoreline.

“It had taken on water, was listing starboard and riding bow high after being pulled free by a tractor tug early this afternoon,” according to the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

The yacht sank.

It was the end to an ordeal that began nearly two weeks ago when the yacht grounded just outside the Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Bay Marine Life Conservation District. Although the area has day-use moorings with a time limit of two hours, yacht owner Jim Jones told media that he didn’t know the rules  and stayed overnight with his family when one of the lines snapped and the boat hit the rocks.

It has been quite the ordeal to salvage the boat.

Once the boat stated leaking fuel, the U.S. Coast Guard federalized the vessel, meaning it has jurisdiction over the yacht which cannot be moved until all hazardous material was removed .

When that process was done the state Department of Land and Natural Resources took over because Jones said he did not have the money to pay for the salvage operation. The state organized and is paying for the operation, but will be sending Jones a bill, which initially was for $460,000 plus. But that will be sure to go up due to all the problems encountered during the salvage.

Once the hazardous material was removed, Visonary Marines’s salvage ship Kahi from Honolulu tried to removed the yacht from the reef but failed after multiple pulls. Sause Brothers’ tractor tug Mary Catherine was called in from Honolulu to help, but the second attempt with both boats also failed. Then bad weather forced both salvage boats to return to Honolulu.

They returned to Maui on Saturday.

A crew from the salvage ship rigged lines to the yacht Nakoa   all day Saturday and Sunday morning to prepare for the third attempt.

Prior to the 3,300-horsepower tug hooking up, the salvage crew used a carbon cutter to free either the yacht’s prop or rudder, believed to be the reason earlier attempts did not succeed, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

On Sunday, there were ideal weather and ocean conditions for the complex and costly operation. Once the tug turned the boat 90 degrees it pulled out into deeper water. 

“The yacht was listing to one side and riding bow high and it’s unknown at this time whether it was successfully pulled all the way to Honolulu or had to be scuttled in 1,000-foot-deep water offshore,” the Department and Land and Natural Resources said.

Department Chair Dawn Chang watched the salvage operation on Sunday with Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin. Chang said she heard almost immediately from Randy Cates, the owner and operator of Visionary Marine. 

“I’m beyond words,” Chang said. “I extended our appreciation to him and his crew for doing a tough, thankless job when others in the industry were questioning the wisdom of taking it on. We all thought today was it. It was either going to happen or not. I’m extremely pleased.” 

Chang said the state will aggressively pursue recouping all salvage costs from the owner, which originally were set at $460,000 plus before delays and the need for a second boat were included in the cost.

It also does not include the cost to repair damage to coral reefs and live rock. A team from the state Division of Aquatic Resources will return to the grounding location this week to conduct a post-incident damage assessment. 

To read more about yacht tales in Hawai’i waters involving a pop star, Russian oligarch, coral wrecker and thief, click here .

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72-year-old man rescued from sinking ship near Fort Myers

by Gershon Harrell

FORT MYERS, Fla. (CBS12) — A 72-year-old man was rescued from a sinking boat near Fort Myers on Friday, according to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

USCG says they were alerted to the man's distress call at 8 a.m. after he reported his 40-foot sailing vessel was taking on water. He activated his emergency position utilizing a radio beacon.

See also: Second arrest made in double homicide in Indian River County

The man was spotted at 12 p.m. by an MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter and a C-27J Spartan airplane. USCG states the man was hoisted off his sinking vessel and was taken to the Tampa Fire emergency medical services at Peter O. Knight Airport to receive a higher level of care.

"Coast Guard crews were able to complete this rescue quickly and efficiently thanks to the boater having a properly registered EPIRB aboard his vessel," said Petty Officer 1st Class Michel D. Dinapolis, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Command Center watchstander. "We encourage all boaters to adhere to safe boating in case they find themselves in an emergency out at sea."

Migrant boat sinks off Turkish Aegean coast, killing at least 22 people

Turkish officials say they have found the bodies of 22 people, including seven children, off Gokceada island.

At least 22 people, including several children, have died after the rubber dinghy they were travelling on capsized off the Turkish island of Gokceada in the Aegean Sea.

“The Turkish coastguard found the bodies of 22 people including seven children,” the local governor’s office said in a statement on Friday.

Keep reading

Four migrants killed after boat sinks off greek island of lesbos, asylum seeker dies on uk barge housing migrants and refugees, protests erupt in tunisian town as search continues for 37 missing migrants.

Information on the victims’ nationalities has not yet been released.

Governor Ilhami Aktas told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the Turkish coastguard rescued two people from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others were able to reach the shore by themselves,

Turkish officials said the boat began sinking overnight and that many ambulances were standing by at the port of Kabatepe near Gokceada. The search-and-rescue operation was also backed by one plane, two helicopters, one drone, 18 boats and 502 personnel.

The Turkish coastguard also said that it had rescued or intercepted several hundred people, including children, attempting to cross to Greece since the start of the week.

At least 3,129 deaths and disappearances have been recorded in the Mediterranean since 2017, making it the deadliest route for migrants and refugees, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Many migrants try to reach the Greek islands from Turkey’s western coasts to head to prosperous European Union countries, with many dying in the perilous sea crossing.

The issue of irregular migration is a thorn in relations between NATO members Turkey and Greece, who are already embroiled in longstanding disputes from exploratory drilling rights in the eastern Mediterranean to the divided island of Cyprus.

Greece has also frequently accused Turkey of waving migrants through their joint border and at sea.

Ankara in turn has accused Athens of illegal pushbacks of migrant boats. In 2016, Turkey struck a deal with the EU to curb the influx of people seeking refuge in the EU in return for financial assistance and other incentives.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Athens in December, Turkey and Greece agreed to open a new page in their troubled relations and address their problems including irregular migration through dialogue.

The issue of irregular migration is likely to figure highly in talks when Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits Ankara in May.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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Moskva warship sinking: Dramatic photos and video give clues to flagship's fate as Ukraine and Russia tell contrasting tales

Almost a week after the sinking of the Moskva near the port of Odesa, Russia and Ukraine are sticking to vastly different accounts of what happened.

But photos released on social media give clues about the incident and appear to poke holes in the Russian explanation that the Soviet-era flagship of its Black Sea fleet sank in stormy seas after an onboard fire.

Ukraine's version is that it hit the ship in a brazen missile strike which would be one of the highest-profile naval attacks in decades.

Russia disputes this, saying the vessel was damaged after an onboard fire caused ammunition to explode.

The Moskva subsequently sank, it says, as it was being towed in a storm.

But images and video posted on Twitter appeared to show a badly damaged Moskva, with black holes in its side, in calm seas and benign weather.

Pictures of damage 'consistent' with missile attack

Conversely, they fail to provide conclusive proof that the Moskva was struck by two Neptune missiles, as Ukraine insisted on April 14.

However, military experts say the damage shown by social media images is "consistent" with a missile attack.

Retired British rear admiral Chris Parry, a former NATO commander, told the BBC he was sure the damage was caused by a missile strike, rather than an internal explosion, saying he believed the ship was hit "by one or two missiles".

A three-second video, taken from a nearby ship and posted on Twitter, appears to show the Moskva shortly after the attack.

In the video, a tug boat is on the right of the Moskva.

The freeboard section of the ship is badly damaged as smoke billows into the air.

The Moskva looks unstable and is leaning heavily to the left, having taken on water.

Author and ship captain John Konrad tweeted another view of the Moskva, using arrows to show the tug's position.

"[It's] close alongside starboard aft," he tweeted.

"It is also possible the tug is made fast and is pulling the ship astern."

While the loss of the 510-crew warship is seen as a boost for Ukrainian morale, experts do not expect its loss to have a major impact on Russia's invasion campaign.

Stark contrast between new Moskva and blackened remains

Another Twitter post appears to show before and after images of the Moskva, which first entered service with the Soviet navy in 1983 and had seen leaders from Mikhail Gorbachev to Vladimir Putin host world dignitaries onboard. 

Russia has not admitted that it suffered any casualties in the loss of the ship.

On Saturday — three days after the initial incident —  the Russian defence ministry released video of what it described as the entire crew of the Moskva marching in a parade at Sevastopol, a Crimean port city.

After the demise of the Moskva, the Russian navy will look to the Marshal Ustinov and the Varyag — the only other two ships that have multiple anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.

Before being renamed Moskva (Russian for Moscow) in 1995 after the fall of the Soviet Union, the vessel was called "Slava" ("Glory").

But the social media images seem to suggest a rather inglorious end to the 39-year-old ship, even if we may never know the true story of its sinking.

ABC/Reuters

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Migrant boat sinks off Turkey, children among 22 dead

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Canadian miner Teck's Elk Valley clean up could cost at least C$6.4 bln, environment group says

The cost of cleaning British Columbia's (B.C.) Elk Valley river from the toxic materials released by Teck Resources' coal mining could be at least C$6.4 billion ($4.7 billion), a report released by not-for-profit group Wildsight on Tuesday said.

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A migrant boat sinks off the Turkish coast, killing at least 22 people

A member of Turkish Coastal Security uses binoculars on the Turkey’s shore of Aegean sea in Eceabat, Turkey, Friday, March 15, 2024. A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkey’s northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 22 people, officials said. (Dia Images via AP)

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkey’s northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 22 people, officials said.

Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others reached the shore by themselves and notified officials, Gov. Ilhami Aktas said.

It was not clear how many people were on the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area, he said.

Aktas told the state-run Anadolu Agency that seven of the dead were infants or children.

The migrants’ nationalities were not immediately known.

They were trying to reach the Greek island of Samothraki, the private Demiroren News Agency reported.

Eighteen rescue boats, a plane, two helicopters and a drone were involved in the search and rescue mission, the statement said. Ambulances were on standby at a nearby port, Anadolu reported.

Although their numbers have declined in recent years, migrants mostly from the Middle East and Africa often leave Turkey to try to reach Greece or Italy in search of a better life in European countries.

The Turkish coast guard said it caught at least 93 migrants attempting to leave the Turkish coast on boats this week.