A sailboat caught in Hurricane Julio more than 400 miles off the coast of Hawaii was accompanied by a surveillance aircraft early Monday, according to Coast Guard officials. The 42-foot Walkabout got stuck in Hurricane Julio’s 115 mph winds and 30-foot sea-swells Sunday morning. Three people were aboard the vessel, which had taken on water and lost its life raft to the heavy winds, the Coast Guard said in a statement. An HC-130 Hercules airplane was deployed to deliver a replacement life raft and de-watering equipment, but the drop was hindered by the storm’s forces and the plane had to turn around due to low fuel, the Coast Guard said. A second Hercules airplane crew arrived at the scene at 7 p.m. (1 a.m. ET) and will remain there until a 661-foot container ship arrives.
Julio was downgraded to a category 1 hurricane on Sunday night and is passing well north of the Hawaii, but the Islands’ coasts would see heavy surf as a result of the passing system, according to the National Weather Service. The Big Island was still recovering from Tropical Storm Iselle, which knocked down trees and took out power lines on Friday.
IN-DEPTH
- Sailboat 'Caught' in Hurricane Julio off Oahu: Coast Guard
- Tropical Storm Iselle Downs Power Lines and Trees in Hawaii
SOCIAL
— Elisha Fieldstadt