Authorities in Hawaii are nonetheless looking for a 63-year-old man who was reportedly pulled overboard by a large tuna on Sunday morning. Captain Cook resident Mark Knittle was fishing with a buddy off the South Kona coast when he went over the boat’s railing and into the South Pacific, in accordance with Hawaii News Now.
Knittle’s buddy instructed authorities that the 2 have been fishing close to “C” buoy, which is roughly 4 miles offshore from the Hōnaunau Boat Ramp. He mentioned Knittle hooked into a big yellowfin tuna round 5 a.m. on Sunday, and that he heard Knittle say “the fish is huge” simply earlier than Knittle went overboard. After attempting to seize Knittle’s line, the buddy jumped into the water, but it surely was too late. He defined that he noticed Knittle vanish underwater inside seconds of going overboard.
The Hawaii Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the decision on Sunday. Crews started looking that day. The Hawaii Island Police has additionally launched a lacking particular person investigation for Knittle, who was described as 5-feet, 10-inches tall, 185 kilos, with curly brown hair and a white mustache and beard.
It’s unclear how precisely Knittle was pulled overboard, or if he was utilizing a preventing belt or one other sort of massive sport fishing harness on the time. These harnesses are ceaselessly utilized by offshore anglers when battling tuna, billfish, and different hard-fighting species. By having the rod-and-reel secured to their physique with clips, anglers can higher use their legs and again to exert most leverage and hold strain on the fish.
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Being clipped right into a harness is inherently dangerous, nevertheless. The angler turns into absolutely linked to the fish on the opposite finish of the road, they usually can critically endanger themselves if the reel’s drag is ready too tight. Some harnesses function quick-release clips for security causes, and many captains suggest having a crew member stand behind the clipped-in angler in case they lose their stability or get pulled too far in any path. As a ultimate precaution, anglers ought to all the time have a knife or different chopping software useful in case they should minimize their line in a rush.
The search will proceed by means of Wednesday morning, authorities say.