
Off-Duty Hawaii Lifeguard Helps Rescue Stranded Teen Who Clung To Kayak Overnight
HuffPost
The 17-year-old got separated from his high school paddling team after capsizing about half a mile south of Honolulu's Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort.
HONOLULU (AP) — A teenager in Hawaii was recovering Friday after spending more than 11 hours clinging to a kayak before being rescued during an overnight ocean search by an off-duty lifeguard and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Kahiau Kawai, 17, had gotten separated from his high school paddling team on Wednesday after capsizing approximately half a mile (0.80 kilometers) south of Honolulu’s Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort. He was on a 20-foot (6-meter) kayak and was not wearing a life jacket, the Coast Guard said.
Kawai’s parents in a statement thanked the state, city and federal rescue teams who searched through the night, with a “very special mahalo” to family, friends and the the Honolulu lifeguard who went out on his own to search for the teen.
“Kahiau, who could see rescue teams looking for him, was strong, resilient and brave for 11.5 hours in the dark, and is grateful to be back with his family and friends,” Ka’ala and Kelehua Kawai said in the statement.
The teenager’s Kamehameha Schools teammates reported him missing during kayaking practice Wednesday afternoon, the school said in a statement.