Teenager rescued after clinging to kayak for hours overnight in waters off Honolulu

Teenage kayaker Kahiau Kawai, who became separated from his high school paddling team in the ocean off Honolulu, was rescued after spending the night clinging to his kayak.

The Honolulu Fire Department alerted the Coast Guard that the 17-year-old had gotten separated from his group about a half-mile south of the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort, the Coast Guard said. He had capsized from the 20-foot kayak and didn't have a life jacket on.

The fire department first received reports about the teen's disappearance at about 6:30 Wednesday evening, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Coast Guard officials deployed an airplane, helicopter and boat to search for the teen and sent out a marine information broadcast to other people out on the water.

At about 4 a.m. Thursday, the airplane spotted the kayak and Kahiau clinging to it, and directed a nearby good Samaritan, Noland Keaulana — an off-duty lifeguard with the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department — to head to the location using a flare. Mr. Keaulana helped the teen out of the water.

"I went to the flare … when I approached him, I saw the kayak, I saw his head above water. And I was so stoked to see that he was alive. … The whole night was an emotional night. Especially after letting every minute go by. Then and then kind of like, I was expecting the worst. And then when I see his head up next to the kayak ... this kid's strong. I'm glad we got to bring him back," Mr. Keaulana said, according to Hawaii NBC affiliate KHNL-TV.

An hour and a half later, Mr. Keaulana, who knows Kahiau and his family, got the teen to shore. Kahiau was treated for injuries and hypothermia and was in serious but stable condition, the Coast Guard said.

Kahiau said his thoughts when he was rescued went immediately to his mother, Kelehua Kawai.

"Having that will to live thinking of his mom, how worried she must be, it was such a pleasure to be able to call his mom as she's crying on the phone and say, 'Hey, we found him and he's OK,'" Honolulu Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Nic Iannarone said, according to Hawaii ABC affiliate KITV-TV.

In a statement Thursday to KHNL-TV, Kamehameha Schools, the private school Kahiau attends, said: "We are grateful for the heroic efforts of the first responders and everyone who assisted with the search."