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Six months after reaching a settlement with owners of a luxury yacht for its grounding, removal and damage to natural resources, the owners still have not paid the thousands of dollars owed to the state.
The US Coast Guard is using a private contractor, to begin defueling the 94-foot-long luxury yacht, Nakoa, which grounded on Monday outside the Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Bay Marine Life Conservation District.
The US Coast Guard federalized the vessel on Tuesday, which means the yacht cannot be moved until all fuel, batteries, and any other pollutants on board are removed. That process may involve a helicopter and is expected to take at least through Wednesday, according to a DLNR news release.
A vessel has run aground at Honolua Bay on Maui, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources has confirmed.