Passenger vessel runs aground in Honolulu, salvage underway

The US Coast Guard is monitoring the 75-foot (22.9-metre) passenger vessel Discovery, which ran aground near Kewalo Basin in Honolulu on Saturday, August 9. The vessel, which operates as a shuttle for Atlantis Adventures, is now secured to a seawall awaiting commercial salvage.

The Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command centre received a report at 08:25 on Saturday that the Discovery had run aground approximately 60 feet outside the harbour entrance with its captain and one crew member on board. Honolulu Ocean Safety jet ski crews were able to reach the vessel and confirmed the two people were uninjured.

An initial attempt to refloat the vessel on Saturday evening was unsuccessful. A commercial tug, the Miki'oi, secured lines to the Discovery, but during the tow attempt, the cleats on the grounded vessel failed, forcing the operation to be halted.

Following the failed tow, a contractor, Pacific Environmental Corporation (PENCO), removed all accessible petroleum products from the vessel at 23:00 on Saturday night. In total, 2,275 gallons of diesel fuel and 36 gallons of hydraulic oil were removed. No pollution has been reported.

The vessel’s operator reported that two large waves disrupted his course and that he lost propulsion after the vessel went aground.

The incident is under investigation by the Coast Guard. Salvage of the vessel is being overseen by Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources and Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.