HONOLULU -- The U.S. Coast Guard today airlifted two children from the deck of a disabled fishing vessel approximately five miles west of Oahu.

The master of the fishing vessel Kayla H P reported to the Coast Guard at noon April 13 his vessel had lost power and was adrift five miles off Kaena Point.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point was on scene within an hour and hoisted a 10-year-old boy and 14-year-old boy. The rescued pair were transported to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Medical Center.

The weather on scene at the time of the recue was reported by the HH-65 pilots as "rough" -- seas of nine to 10 feet and gale force winds.

"The weather was really rough out there today and we didn't want to take any chances, so we airlifted the two boys first," said Petty Officer 1st Class Geoffrey Nielsen, a search and rescue controller at the Coast Guard's Sand Island Command Center.  

The vessel and remaining three distressed crew members on board were assisted by a Good Samaritan in the area that towed them to Haleiwa small boat harbor. No injuries were reported by either the remaining crew members or to the two youngsters airlifted off the fishing vessel.

For more information, please contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse at 535-3230. No video or photographs are available. 

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