Passenger Boat Runs Aground in Hawaii
A large passenger boat faced trouble this past weekend after running aground in the strong surf off a beach in Hawaii. The incident happened around 8 a.m. Saturday near Kewalo Basin Harbor in Honolulu. The vessel, named Discovery, is about 60 feet long and was caught in powerful waves, making it almost flip onto its side before resting.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that two crew members were aboard at the time of the grounding and reported no injuries. The cause of the incident is still under investigation, but the operator mentioned that two big waves hit the back of the boat, throwing it off course and leading to a loss of power.
To prevent any pollution, the boat’s fuel, oil, and batteries were removed. Plans were made to tow the boat away during high tide on Sunday afternoon. Spectators captured the event on video, showing the boat being pushed around by the waves.
Local filmmaker Ramon Brockington was filming surfers nearby when he saw the Discovery struggle with the waves. He explained that the boat attempted to navigate through tricky surf but didn’t have the strength to overcome the waves. “It was like watching a giant surfboard,” he remarked, noting that he had never seen a vessel of that size behave in such a way.
Eventually, the boat struggled into very shallow water and ended up against a concrete wall along the shore. Atlantis Adventures, which operates the Discovery, assured that the crew members were safe and they are working closely with regulatory agencies to have the boat inspected and safely returned to service. The company emphasized the Discovery is Coast Guard certified and its crew undergoes regular inspections and training.
