Long Beach Sailor Vanishes During Voyage To Hawaii

LONG BEACH, CA — The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 60-year-old man who vanished during a sailing trip from Long Beach to Hawaii.

Noel Rubio departed from Long Beach on Dec. 28 and set sail for O'ahu. He planned to arrive Jan. 18, but never made it. Rubio was sailing on a 32- foot Westsail sloop known as Malulani, according to the Coast Guard.

Rubio hasn't been heard from since shortly after his departure, when he used a call phone to call a friend from an area south of Catalina Island.

AVHF-FM marine band radio is the only means of communication on Rubio's boat — which goes against best practices, the Coast Guard said. Mariners who conduct open ocean passage are encouraged to have multiple layers of communication, including satellite communications and a radio beacon that can be used as a last resort to help authorities find sailors in distress.

"The Coast Guard is greatly appreciative of the expert consult advice on weather and routes provided by experienced trans-pacific sailors," Coast Guard official Douglas Samp said in a statement

Anyone with information about Rubio or Malulani was urged to contact Joint Rescue Coordination Center Alameda at 510-437-3701 or RCCAlameda1@uscg.mil or Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu at 808-535- 3333 or JRCCHonolulu@uscg.mil.