HONOLULU (KHON2) — A teenager survived a night on the ocean with his kayak after he was reported missing Wednesday night.
The 17-year-old Kamehameha student athlete was practicing with his kayaking team who were to kayak from the Ala Wai Channel to Diamond Head and back. The team alerted first responders after noticing he was missing when they turned around due to rough conditions.
First responders search for missing kayaker near Magic Island
HFD did a search of the shoreline around 6:35 p.m. The search was then broadened to four miles offshore, from the east end of Diamond Head to Nanakuli. The teen was ultimately located by a USCG aircraft at around 4:20 a.m. one mile offshore, fronting the Waikiki Natatorium.
An off-duty lifeguard, Noland Keaulana, who had been searching for the teen since Wednesday night was alerted by the USCG and was able to spot the teen clinging to his kayak, got him onto his boat and then transported him to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.
“I think he was in total shock because he wasn’t emotional at all. I was actually crying my guts off because he was okay,” Keaulana said. “He said I’m worried about my mom because she probably misses me.”
The teen said he lost his paddle just before he was reported missing.