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Heads up! ANOTHER DIVER in Honolulu Harbor:

Diver Sighting Near Coast Guard Station Raises Concern
Woman Says She Saw Person Diving In Area

POSTED: 2:26 pm HST February 29, 2004

HONOLULU -- Authorities are on alert again after a diver was spotted near the Coast Guard station in Honolulu Harbor Saturday night.

The unauthorized diver was spotted about 10:23 p.m. near the Coast Guard Cutter Kukui. The boat was docked where it normally is, at the Coast Guard station at Sand Island.

The incident comes just days after a Coast Guard sentry spotted a diver near the ship. The sighting prompted military and federal authorities to conduct a detailed search of the harbor. Diving in Honolulu Harbor is not allowed.

A woman fishing at Sand Island State Recreation Area told KITV 4 News that she saw some diving in the area a few hours before and found it rather out of place.

"A man in a black diving suit come out from that area, like coming up off the shoreline, walk by that bathroom, cut across, and going towards the waterline," Laurie Johansen said. "He had some kind of a box in left hand, or right hand, cause he was facing this way."

She said the black box measured about 15 inches high and maybe two feet in length. He was also carrying what looked like a fishing spear.

"You could tell he was slowing down looking around, but he had one of those masks across his face, so you couldn't see his face and he had the gear over his head already, completely in black with gloves," Johansen said.

She said seeing the diver at that time seemed odd.

"Because it was quarter to seven and everyone leaves the park at quarter till seven. Divers do not come out in this weather. It's not normal," Johansen said.

The stormy weather brought rough waves and murky water, which are not good conditions for spear fishing.

"My understanding is they are not going to elevate the alert level. They are going to stay where they are, so that's an indication that the Coast Guard is not overly concerned. They are concerned obviously. It is a strange occurrence. They're on top of it, but they're not going to raise their alert level at this time," Gov. Linda Lingle said.

If anyone should spot any suspicious activity in or around Honolulu Harbor, you can call the Coast Guard or you can call 911.

http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/2884366/detail.html