HONOLULU — The Coast Guard medically evacuated an 82-year-old man experiencing difficulty breathing from a snorkeling tour boat near Olowalu Point, Maui, Wednesday.
A Station Maui 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew safely transported the man to Maalaea Pier where they were met by EMS and transferred the man for further transport to Maui Memorial Hospital for further evaluation.
At 9:48 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Maui received report from a crewmember aboard the Pride of Maui of a passenger experiencing difficulty breathing while snorkeling.
Crewmembers aboard the Pride of Maui reportedly stabilized the man and administered oxygen. The RB-M was launched to the scene. The ship was anchored at a mooring ball off Olowalu Point, Maui.
Once on scene, the man was safely transferred onto the RB-M to be transported to Maalaea Pier.
Coast Guard Station Maui is one of four small boat stations in the Coast Guard 14th District. Located on the south shore of Maui at Maalaea Harbor, the unit has a compliment of 20 active duty members, three reservists and two auxiliarists. Their area of responsibility encompasses Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kaho'olawe as well as Molokini Crater. Search and rescue is one of their primary missions and can be everything from a sinking vessel or downed small plane to a heart attack victim or a swimmer taken out to sea by a rip current.