Search ends for
lost Big Island sailor

WAILUKU » The Coast Guard ended its search last night for a 74-year-old Big Island man whose sailing vessel was found Tuesday wrecked on a remote rocky coastline in southeastern Maui.

William Norcross's 41-foot vessel was destroyed, and he was not found after an extensive search that covered more than 1,000 square miles. The Coast Guard responded to an emergency beacon transmission from the boat at 2 a.m. Tuesday.

At the time of the search, waves in the area were about 8 to 10 feet high, and the wind was blowing at more than 28 miles an hour, the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard rescuer found at least one life jacket missing from the wreckage, leading authorities to believe Norcross could be in the water.

The Coast Guard said the vessel appeared to have run aground, and there were no signs of an explosion or fire.

Norcross appeared to be en route to the Big Island after returning from a sailing trip to North America.

The Coast Guard towed Norcross into Maalaea Harbor on June 15 after he ran into trouble.

According to Norcross, a wave had ripped the sail and forced him to use his auxiliary motor until he ran out of gas, the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Brooksann Anderson said besides a ground search along the coastline by Maui fire rescue workers, the Coast Guard conducted a sea and air search for Norcross that extended at least several miles north and south of the crash site.