Three people rescued from sailboat disabled during Hurricane Julio

HONOLULU - A container ship crew has rescued three people from a sailboat that was stranded in waters roiled by Hurricane Julio off the Hawaii Coast.

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Gene Maestas says the sailors were pulled aboard the container ship at about 8 a.m. Monday. He says all three are safe and in good condition.

Maestas says the three people were sailing the 42-foot Walkabout from California to Hawaii when they got into trouble over the weekend. They sent a message for help Sunday morning after the boat became disabled and took on water.

The Matson Inc. container ship Manukai reached them Sunday night but had to wait for conditions for improve before evacuating the stranded sailors.

No other information was immediately available about the sailors.