Off the Kona Coast the search for 42-year-old Jared Willeford has been suspended after the Coast Guard and partner agencies searched nearly 5,000 square miles and more than 89 hours.
Willeford was last seen the morning of April 27, 2025 launching his yellow kayak at a West Hawaii boat launch. His kayak was found just two hours later 400 yards from shore. Two days later on April 29 a shoe believed to belong to Willeford was found a few miles south of the boat launch.
Second fisherman in two months goes missing off Hawaii coast
Willeford is the second fisherman to go missing off the coast of Hawaii Island in the month of April; Earl Kekuanaoa Hind was last seen April 7 after he launched his 21-foot Force boat with two outboard motors near South Point.
Both missing fishermen are said by friends and family to have years of experience on the Pacific and are experienced watermen, reported Big Island Now. Willeford is a shark attack survivor, suffering a hand injury while surfing in 2021 by an apparent Great White Shark, and is reported to often be out kayak fishing overnight.
“For how close he went missing, for how close to shore his kayak was… it is very odd,” said fellow fisherman Jeff Silva who aided in the search for Willeford in an interview with KHON2 News.
Silva also shared that when a group of OC1 paddlers found his kayak they were quickly able to identify it as Willeford’s as he regularly paddles and fishes the area. The search went on for hours in conditions that Silva described as “ideal”, and local fishermen recovered Willeford’s empty drybag.
“I was blown away that we couldn’t find him. It was a beautiful day,” added Silva.
The US Coast Guard District 14 shared with Kayak Angler Magazine that Willeford’s lifejacket was found on his recovered kayak and his cell phone was found in the kayak. No radio or whistle were found.
On April 30, the search for Willeford was suspended; meanwhile police have renewed their request for information on Hind.
Missing kayak fisherman Jared Willeford. Featured Image: KHON2 News | YouTube
