Hawaii finds 'insufficient evidence' cruise ship sailed too close to protected coast

Hawaii state authorities failed to find evidence that a Celebrity Cruises ship sailed illegally close to Kauai’s protected Na Pali Coastline.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) investigated last month after social media posts appeared to show the cruise line’s Celebrity Edge ship sailing less than the required 3,000-foot distance from shore.

“DOCARE determined there is insufficient evidence that supports probable cause or that there is clear and convincing evidence to pursue any criminal or civil action at this time,” DLNR said in a news release.

Officers interviewed the ship’s captain upon its return to Honolulu, who said he had total control of the ship and was “always in waters of not less than 30 meters depth,” though he was “unclear” how far the ship was from shore. Witnesses on Kauai could not say with certainty that the ship had sailed too close.

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“Some witnesses did not wish to be involved in the investigation and others only had second-or-third-hand information or repeated what they saw on social media,” the release said.

“While DOCARE’s investigation could not conclude that the cruise ship, carrying more than 50 passengers, was traveling within 3,000 feet of the shoreline, community concerns and photographs appear to show the ship was indeed much closer to shore,” DLNR chair Dawn Chang said in a letter addressed to Celebrity and other cruise lines on Friday. “This incident created a tremendous amount of angst in the community, as this area is highly protected and valued for its natural beauty and cultural significance.

The waters are popular among divers, kayakers, swimmers and more, she said.

Chang acknowledged the cruise industry’s contributions to Hawaii’s economy but urged compliance with the law. “We are putting the industry on notice that the DLNR and the community will be closely monitoring activity not only along the Nāpali Coast, but throughout our state ocean waters.”

Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity's parent company, declined to comment Tuesday. “We have robust policies in place to maintain compliance with local regulations around the world," a spokesperson told USA TODAY last month amid the investigation. "We will continue to assess our policies and take necessary steps to ensure we continue to operate in the most responsible manner possible."

The Hawaii Tourism Authority previously said that a second cruise ship was also under investigation, but did not specify the vessel or line. HTA and DLNR did not answer questions about the status of the second investigation before publishing.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hawaii fails to find evidence cruise ship sailed too close to coast