Fire crews recover body of 62-year-old man near Maui wharf

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WAILUKU (AP) — The Maui Fire Department says firefighters removed the body of a 62-year-old man from the ocean near Kamalo Wharf after someone spotted his boat drifting in the water.

WAILUKU (AP) — The Maui Fire Department says firefighters removed the body of a 62-year-old man from the ocean near Kamalo Wharf after someone spotted his boat drifting in the water.

The Maui News reports (https://bit.ly/1f277Dl ) that police have identified the man as Melvin L. Paoa of Kaunakakai. He was found about 300 yards offshore.

Fire Services Officer Edward Taomoto says a witness told Molokai firefighters Saturday that he saw the man securing his 26-foot catamaran near the wharf. The witness later saw the boat drifting away but couldn’t see its operator, so called for help.

Fire crews found the unresponsive Paoa around 1 p.m. and tried to revive him but were unsuccessful.

Taomoto says Paoa was pronounced dead at Molokai General Hospital.