Coast Guard and Good Samaritan Catamaran Rescue People After Māʻalaea Collision

A coordinated rescue by a good‑samaritan catamaran and the U.S. Coast Guard pulled 10 paddlers to safety after a collision in Māʻalaea Bay that tossed several outrigger canoeists into the water. The rapid response prevented serious injury and underscored the tight-knit nature of Hawaii’s on‑water community.

At 8:05 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a VHF‑FM channel 16 call from the 50‑foot sailing vessel Winona reporting a collision with a 10‑person outrigger canoe and advising that three people were in the water. A nearby 65‑foot catamaran, Trilogy IV, immediately rescued three people from the water and took the remaining seven canoe occupants aboard.

Coast Guard Station Maui launched a 45‑foot Response Boat‑Medium and arrived on scene at 8:13 a.m. Boat crew members transferred seven people, including one woman with a minor injury, to the RB‑M; three people remained aboard Trilogy IV. Coast Guard crews assisted in dewatering the Winona and escorted the vessel back to Māʻalaea Harbor, where emergency medical services personnel were waiting.

Trilogy II played a key follow-up role by refloating the outrigger canoe and towing it back to the Maui Canoe Club at Sugar Beach. Maui Fire Department Engine 6 and Maui Ocean Safety were also on scene to provide support as needed.

“We are very grateful to the crews of the Trilogy IV and Trilogy II for assisting in this rescue,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Gaberiel Cortes, Sector Honolulu watchstander. “This rescue not only demonstrates how tight‑knit the boating community is in Hawaii, but also the importance of having a VHF radio on board your vessel or watercraft. The emergency radio call enabled the Coast Guard and other agencies to respond immediately.”

Official reports from the Coast Guard and local outlets list 10 people rescued; one social media post excerpt noted 11, a discrepancy that officials can clarify as they complete their paperwork. No fatalities were reported, and the only injury described in the official accounts was the minor injury to one woman.

For catamaran owners, charter operators, paddlers, and anyone who spends time on Maui waters, this incident is a reminder about basic safety measures: keep a working VHF radio, maintain a proper lookout, and be prepared to act as a safe and stable platform when nearby vessels need assistance. The Trilogy vessels demonstrated how a wide, stable catamaran can be an effective good‑samaritan asset, and the Coast Guard’s quick launch and dewatering work show how coordinated responses limit further damage and injury.

Investigations into the cause of the collision have not been released. For now, the immediate outcome is clear: prompt radio communication, fast action by nearby mariners, and Coast Guard coordination saved lives and returned the vessels to shore for further assessment.