75′ humanitarian ship flips twice and crashes into Four Seasons Hualalai reef; one lost at sea.

It flipped twice at sea, losing both masts. We have often stayed in room 110 which overlooks this scene. So I knew the perfect route to evade the police barricades to get in there for a photo. Short video from the reef.

From West Hawaii Today: “After receiving weather alerts from the National Weather Service Friday night, the boat headed six miles out to sea to ride out the weather… The boat was cutting into rough waves about four miles from shore when two waves caught the hull broadside, flipping it twice. The crew shot off flares, and four of the five abandoned ship into a life raft,..

Winds peaked at 50 mph off the Kona coast Friday night with steep seven-foot waves, according to National Weather Service data.

The boat was set to leave on a humanitarian mission to Christmas Island on Tuesday and was loaded with supplies for the trip.

With a motto to “sail, study, serve,” the YWAM Ships based in Kailua-Kona and Orange County engage in student-driven outreach in the South Pacific and beyond, bringing medical and dental services, education and clean water initiatives.”