Archive image: U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Sojka, an aviation survival technician assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point in Kapolei, Hawaii, prepares to be lowered from a Coast Guard MH-65E Dolphin helicopter during vertical surface training in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Dec. 10, 2025.
The Coast Guard began using the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter in 1985, replacing the HH-52 Seaguard helicopter.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler (Ty) Robertson.
HONOLULU — A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point MH-65E Dolphin aircrew conducted the rescue of two fishermen after a fishing vessel began taking on water offshore Molokai. Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
A Coast Guard MH-65E Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew from Air Station Barbers Point located the men in a life raft, deployed the rescue swimmer, safely hoisted them using a rescue basket, and brought them ashore to the air station in Kapolei, Hawaii.
Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center watchstanders received a mayday call on VHF-FM channel 16 at 1:50 p.m. from the captain of the Holokai, a 42-foot commercial fishing vessel, stating the boat was taking on water 2 nautical miles south of Molokai. Both men were wearing life jackets and preparing to abandon ship.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB) and directed the launch of the MH-65E Dolphin SRR Helicopter aircrew from Air Station Barbers Point and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) crew from Coast Guard Station Honolulu.
When their 42-foot vessel began taking on water, the men boarded their life raft and activated their emergency position-indicating radio beacon, transmitting their position to the Coast Guard.
U.S. Coast Guard video.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu.
U.S. Coast Guard Oceania.
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area.
The Maui County Fire Department launched Engine 4 and a rescue boat crew in response to the mayday call.
At 2:22 p.m., Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert from the life raft, which allowed watchstanders to pinpoint the mariners’ location.
“Preparedness can significantly reduce the risks when something goes wrong on the water,» said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ashley Barrios, communications unit watchstander, Sector Honolulu. «The quick activation of a registered EPIRB was instrumental in this case. The EPIRB’s technology provided our command center with a precise location and our helicopter crew with a signal they could follow directly to the scene, allowing for a rapid and targeted response. The mariners’ preparation and actions directly contributed to this safe, successful rescue.”
There are reportedly approximately 1,500 gallons of diesel, one marine battery and two smaller car batteries on board the Holokai, which was still afloat when last seen by the men. The vessel’s owner will arrange for its salvage.
–USCG–
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