Sailor arrives in Hawaii a day after US Coast Guard seeks public’s help finding him

HONOLULU (AP) — A 60-year-old man sailing from California to Hawaii arrived in the islands over the weekend, a day after the U.S. Coast Guard asked the public for help finding him.

Noel Rubio arrived safely with his 32-foot sailboat (9.7-meter) sailboat Malulani on Saturday, the Coast Guard said in a statement Monday.

Rubio left Long Beach on Dec. 28 and had planned to arrive in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu three weeks later. He last made contact via cellphone that day south of Catalina Island in California.

The Coast Guard said Friday that it was unable to find Rubio despite searching harbors in California, Hawaii and Mexico and sending urgent marine information broadcasts. Rubio’s only form of communication on board the Malulani was a VHF-FM marine band radio.