Courtesy photo provided by Hawaii County Fire Department.
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard is seeking the public's help in identifying the owner of a boogie board and dive gear found adrift near Wailupe Beach Park, Sunday.
The boogie board had a dive flag and flashlight attached to it.
Anyone with information that may help identify the owner of the dive float is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at 808-842-2600.
Watchstanders at the Sector Honolulu Command Center received a report at 10:27 p.m. from Hawaii County Fire Department personnel who located the dive float.
Sector Honolulu watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast notice to mariners, launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Honolulu and the USCGC Kittiwake, an 87-foot coastal patrol boat homeported in Honolulu, to search the area.
There are currently no reported signs of distress or missing persons in the area.
"The Coast Guard encourages owners who lose their water craft and dive gear to report it to the Coast Guard with a good description so that we can eliminate any unnecessary searches," said Petty Officer 1st Class Ashley Labarr, a search and rescue coordinator at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center.
The Coast Guard offers free "If Found" decals to be placed in a visible location on small, human-powered watercraft through the Operation Paddle Smart program. The information on the sticker can allow response entities to quickly identify the vessel's owner and aid search and rescue planners in determining the best course of action.
The stickers can be obtained for free at local harbormasters, through the Coast Guard Auxiliary, from Honolulu Sail and Power Squadron offices and at select marine retail and supply stores.