By Hawaii 24/7 Staff

Fire/rescue crews responded to a 1:44 a.m. alarm Monday (Sept 18) for a sinking fishing boat six miles west of Kealakekua Bay in Kona.

Three fishermen, in their 60s, were in a 22-foot fishing boat which was sinking and they managed to phone the Coast Guard and Fire Department letting them know of their situation and position offshore using cellphones.

The Kailua-Kona fire station launched Rescue Boat 7 which made it to the signaling fishermen who were wearing lifejackets and were clinging to the partially submerged boat. The fishermen had been in the water for about 1.5 hours before being rescued. Rescue crews attached lights to the vessel to alert boaters to the navigational hazard.

The three fishermen were checked out by medics from the Keauhou fire station and were were released.