The fishing vessel Pacifica moored safely in Honolulu Harbor Monday after taking on water approximately 144 miles north northeast of Oahu.
The cause of the flooding was determined to be insufficient shaft packing in the stern tube, which allowed water to enter the vessel. The Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported here, escorted the vessel back to the Port of Honolulu.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center received a distress call from the commercial fishing vessel Pacifica at 8:58 a.m., Sunday.
The crew reported the vessel was taking on water at ten gallons per minute and was continuing to make way toward Oahu at 7 miles per hour.
An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew launched from Air Station Barbers Point at 9:29 a.m. The Hercules crew arrived on scene at 10:05 a.m. and dropped dewatering equipment to the fishing vessel.
The Hercules remained on scene until the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake arrived to provide additional assistance. The Kittiwake departed Honolulu at 10:30 a.m., and arrived on scene at 4:30 p.m.
The fishing vessel had life rafts aboard and used dewatering pumps to keep up with the flooding.
The HC-130 is the Coast Guard's long range multi-mission aircraft serving the Main Hawaiian Islands and the Central and South Pacific. A video explaining the process of dropping emergency supplies to mariners in distress can be viewed at the following link: http://www.dvidshub.net/video/303893/coast-guard-hc-130-drop#.VGkWZtZSLBI
For more information contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at (808) 535-3230.