Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast

A Hayward couple has sued a Maui snorkeling company, claiming they were abandoned in the open ocean when the boat sailed off without them.

The pair were on their honeymoon in September 2021 when they went on a snorkeling tour with Sail Maui, says the lawsuit, filed last week and first reported by Hawaii News Now.

A catamaran took the group to a site about a half-mile off the Lana’i Coast. The couple, whom their lawyer said are experienced snorkelers, were in the water for about an hour. When they began swimming back toward the boat, they saw it was moving away and began trying to get the crew’s attention.

Another passenger later told the Coast Guard she reported the pair’s absence but was told that all of the group was accounted for, Hawaii News Now said.

The waves were picking up, and the couple began to fear they would drown, the lawsuit says. “Swimming as hard as they could,” they reached shore 20 minutes later and were picked up by a passing truck.

The suit seeks damages of at least $75,000. Sail Maui has declined requests for comment on the claim.