By Hawaii 24/7 Staff
The search for missing fisherman Mitchell Wailani ended Tuesday evening (July 12) after another full day of searching by the Hawaii County Fire Department with no results.
Wailani left Hilo Tuesday (July 5) on a fishing trip and had not been in contact with friends or family since Thursday (July 7). Wailani was reported overdue at 4 p.m. Saturday prompting a search with the Fire Department’s Chopper One, which spotted the 24 foot boat aground late Saturday evening in the area of Papaikou below Koae Road.
Today Chopper One performed an expanded aerial search four miles North of the grounded boat, four miles South to Hilo Bay and up to two miles offshore. Divers from a rescue boat searched North and South of the boat and up to 200 yards offshore without finding anything.
The search was called off but could be restarted if evidence of the missing boater is found. In total the Coast Guard and Fire Department searched 3,206 square miles from Hilo Bay to the Alenuihaha Channel.
Anyone with information about Wailani’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu office at (808) 842-2600.