HONOLULU — The Coast Guard and partner agencies are continuing to search for a missing man in the water off Kauai Friday.
As search efforts continue, Coast Guard crews have searched approximately 726 square miles for over 51 combined hours.
Missing is Matthew Kai’mana Packard-Asai, 19, who was last seen fishing on the rocks near the northern point of Kahili Beach. He is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall with black hair and wearing a black hat, black shorts and black shirt.
Coast Guard Station Kauai personnel received a radio call at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday from friends of Packard-Asai stating that they saw the surf sweep him into the water.
Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and coordinated the launch of a Station Kauai 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124).
Involved in the search are:
- Coast Guard Sector Honolulu
- Coast Guard Station Kauai
- Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point
- Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry (WPC 1124)
- Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Kauai Fire Department
- Kauai Police Department
- Kauai Ocean Safety
- Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Anyone with information that may assist in search efforts should contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or call the Sector Honolulu command center at 1-800-552-6458.
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