HONOLUA BAY, Hawaii (KHON2) — As of 1 p.m. Sunday, March 5, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said that the Nakoa was freed.
Later that evening, DLNR said the yacht was moved to open sea and then was scuttled (deliberately sunken) in 800 feet of water.
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According to DLNR, the vessel took on a lot of water, which caused it to lean right and tilt up.
DLNR said that the salvage ship prepped the yacht to be pulled off the live rocks and reef.
According to DLNR, a rigging crew from the Kahi prepared the Nakoa all day Saturday, March 4 to secure rigging. The rigging was attached to the yacht for the tug to pull.
Because weather and ocean conditions have finally reached a favorable point, DLNR said that the complex operation had a much better chance of success.
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine, LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. The tractor tug Mary Catherine that is operated by Sause Brothers, Inc. of Honolulu is seen in the background. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the tractor tug Mary Catherine that is operated by Sause Brothers, Inc. of Honolulu, Hawai’i It is a part of the effort to tow the luxury yacht Nakoa out of the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District. It has been stranded since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the crew of the Kahi, operated by Visionary Marine, LLC of Honolulu, Hawai’i setting up rigging to tow aground luxury yacht, Nakoa, that has been stranded outside the Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District since Feb. 20, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. The tractor tug Mary Catherine that is operated by Sause Brothers, Inc. of Honolulu is seen in the background. (Photo/Department of Land and Natural Resources) 
A photo shows the tractor tug Mary Catherine, operated by Sause Brothers, Inc. of Honolulu, Hawai’i pulling the luxury yacht, Nakoa, off the live rocks and reed at Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District on Sunday, March 5, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Tim Cummings) 
A photo shows the tractor tug Mary Catherine, operated by Sause Brothers, Inc. of Honolulu, Hawai’i pulling the luxury yacht, Nakoa, off the live rocks and reed at Honolua-Mokulē’ia Marine Life Conservation District on Sunday, March 5, 2023 in Maui, Hawai’i. (Photo/Tim Cummings)
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DLNR stated that “from a vantage point above the bay, Chang, [Mayor Richard] Bissen and [Tamara] Paltin watched as humpback whales almost immediately began escorting the trio of vessels headed west.”
