Watch: Ferry nearly overturns along Hawaii beach

Passenger boat runs aground amid high surf

A passenger vessel ran aground in Honululu, Hawaii, on Saturday after getting caught in large waves.

A yacht-sized passenger boat ran aground in the high surf off a Hawaii beach over the weekend.

What happened? 

Dig deeper:

KHON-TV reported that the events occurred around 8 a.m. Saturday when the swells were peaking and the tide was bottoming out.

What they're saying:

"Basically, the boat was surfing like a giant surfboard," Ramon Brockington, a surfing filmmaker, said. "I’ve never seen a boat of that size and caliber being picked up like a toy and basically launched across the beach."

Atlantis Adventures, which owns the boat, said in a statement that the two experienced crew members aboard were not injured.

FILE - Freeze frame image from video showing a passenger boat almost overturning while floating on high waves in Hawaii. (Credti: United States Coast Guard Oceania District via Storyful)

What we know:

Two crew members were on the 60-foot (18 meter) vessel, named Discovery, when it ran aground near Honolulu's Kewalo Basin Harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement.

What we don't know:

The reason Discovery had such trouble remains under investigation, and there were no apparent mechanical failures prior to the event, the Coast Guard said. The vessel’s operator reported that he took two large waves to the stern, disrupting his course. The boat lost propulsion after it went aground.