HONOLULU (KHON2) — Two large vessels remain stuck in waters off Maui near the Kihei and Maalaea areas.
According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the boats’ grounding may have been due to foul weather which is also making things slower for crews to remove them.
The vessels involved are the Chaparral, a former Navy torpedo boat and the Expeditions Lanai Ferry.
The Chaparral broke loose from its mooring and ended up on the shoreline in North Kihei. When a contractor cut through the vessel’s deck to reach the hull they found numerous holes in it.
“Those holes had to be sealed to pump out fuel, oil, and other liquids. During this process, more holes may have occurred, so we’re not sure about the state of the hull at this moment,” explained Ed Underwood, DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation administrator.
Sealing the holes is necessary for the U.S. Coast Guards to defuel the boat.
However, on Thursday a change in circumstances surfaced after the DOBOR learned that hazardous materials may be left on the boat.