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Video courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard
MEDIA RELEASE

A C-130 takes off from Barbers Point, Oahu. (Photo courtesy of USCG)

HONOLULU – A Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircrew from Air Station Barbers Point is en route to assist a Cessna 310 twin-engine aircraft that is running low on fuel while transiting to the Big Island.

The Federal Aviation Administration contacted the Joint Rescue Coordination Center at 12:30 p.m. to inform the Coast Guard that a 65-year old male flying the Cessna from Monterey, Calif., to Hilo, Hawaii is 500 miles away from land and is running low on fuel.

The pilot estimates he will run out of fuel shortly after 5 p.m. and approximately 25 miles east of Hilo.

The Hercules crew will attempt to intercept the Cessna and escort it to Hilo.

An MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point is on stand-by at Hilo International Airport and the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska is underway to assist as needed.

UPDATE: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7

Coast Guard aircrews rescued a pilot who was forced to ditch his Cessna 310 aircraft approximately 13 miles northeast of the Big Island, Hawaii Friday.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Barbers Point assisted the pilot during the process of ditching his aircraft. The Hercules aircrew maintained communications with the pilot during the ditching process and vectored a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and the Coast Guard Cutter Kiska to the scene.

The pilot ditched his airplane at approximately 5:23 p.m. and climbed out of the cockpit onto the wing.

The Dolphin aircrew deployed a rescue swimmer to pick up the pilot. The rescue swimmer hoisted the pilot into the Dolphin and the aircrew transported him to Hilo Medical Center. He was reported to be coherent with no significant injuries.

The Federal Aviation Administration contacted Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu at 12:30 p.m. to inform the Coast Guard that a 65-year-old male, piloting the Cessna from Monterey, Calif., to Hilo, Hawaii was 500 miles away from land and was running low on fuel. The pilot estimated he would run out of fuel 100 miles east of Hilo.