Police renew search for missing Kona fisherman, vessel at sea

Hawaii Island police renewed the public search for Earl Kekuanaoa Hind, the Kona fisherman whose vessel Makalapua Onalani has been missing since it was last seen offshore near Milolii. In update #4, issued May 7, 2026, investigators again asked anyone with information to come forward with tips that could help locate Hind or his boat.

Hind was 42 in 2025 and was known in Kona fishing circles. Police said he last launched from the South Point area on Monday, April 7, 2025. Two days later, on Wednesday, April 9, police said Hind and Makalapua Onalani were last observed around 12:00 p.m. offshore near Milolii, heading north. His truck and boat trailer were later found parked near the South Point boat ramp area, leaving investigators with a narrow but critical stretch of coastline and open water to examine.

Police described Makalapua Onalani as a 21-foot Force with a 2-foot extension, a white hull, light blue cabin and twin outboard motors. That description is now central for fishermen, boaters and shoreline residents scanning the waters off South Point, Milolii and South Kona for anything out of place, from debris and gear to a vessel matching that profile.

The search drew on major resources in the first days after Hind was reported overdue. The Hawaii Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard carried out aerial search efforts, and police said they followed up on tips and interviewed many of Hind’s associates, friends and family. The Coast Guard suspended active search efforts on April 15, 2025, after searching 200,048 square nautical miles for more than 242 combined hours. Even after that, police kept renewing their appeal for public help as the vessel and its operator remained unaccounted for.

The case has carried deep weight in Kona and across Hawaii Island. Hind’s daughter, Makalapuaonalani Hind, publicly urged authorities to resume the search in April 2025, saying her father had more than two decades of fishing experience in Hawaiian waters and was a survivor. A petition calling on the Coast Guard to continue searching drew more than 2,600 signatures, reflecting how widely the disappearance resonated in island communities that know how fast a fishing trip can turn into a crisis.

South Point remains one of the most unforgiving places on the island to lose track of a vessel. The area is known for strong offshore currents, steep cliffs and very deep water, conditions that make rescue and recovery efforts especially difficult. Police are asking anyone who saw Hind, Makalapua Onalani, or any sign of the vessel at sea to contact the Hawaii Police Department, Detective Donovan Kohara, or the U.S. Coast Guard command center if the boat is spotted offshore.