Yesterday afternoon, the luxury yacht Nakoa was freed by a tractor tug following a two-week-long grounding outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District.

The salvage ship, Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC and tractor tug, the Mary Catherine operated by Sause Brothers Inc., worked in tandem to free the luxury yacht. A crew from the salvage ship rigged lines to the yacht all day Saturday and yesterday to prepare for the third attempt in nearly two weeks. Prior to the 3,300-horsepower tug hooking up, the salvage crew used a carbon cutter to free either the yacht’s prop or rudder, believed to be the reason earlier attempts did not succeed.

DLNR Chair Dawn Chang watched the salvage operation with Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Council member Tamara Paltin. 

DLNR Photo