Two, 79-year-old male visitors died Monday after incidents in ocean waters off two separate Kaua‘i beaches. One was swimming off Po‘ipu Beach, while the other was snorkeling at Salt Pond Beach Park, said Kaui Tanaka, a county spokeswoman. County officials
Two, 79-year-old male visitors died Monday after incidents in ocean waters off two separate Kaua‘i beaches.
One was swimming off Po‘ipu Beach, while the other was snorkeling at Salt Pond Beach Park, said Kaui Tanaka, a county spokeswoman. County officials classified both deaths as possible drownings, pending results of autopsies.
The first man, from Wantagh, N.Y., was found by his wife face down in the ocean fronting the beach between Po‘ipu Beach and the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club mid-morning Monday, said Kaua‘i Fire Department Acting Chief Ted Williams.
Lifeguards responded, pulled him out of the water, and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Williams said.
KFD personnel from the Koloa fire station also responded, and the visitor was taken via American Medical Response ambulance to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said Tanaka.
After 4 p.m. a second man, from Reno, Nev., was reported missing to lifeguards after going snorkeling at Salt Pond Beach Park, county officials said.
Lifeguards began searches inside and outside the reef, said Williams. A KFD crew joined the search a short time later, joined quickly by an Inter-Island Helicopters craft from nearby Burns Field, Williams said.
After a 35-minute search, the man was found face down about 200 yards offshore by the KFD crew in the helicopter.
Lifeguards on jet skis brought the man to shore, and firefighters and AMR professionals at the scene began CPR, said Tanaka. He was transported by ambulance to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital at West Kauai Medical Center, Waimea, where he was pronounced dead.
The names of the victims have not been released. Autopsies will be performed to determine causes of death.
Staff Writer Tom Finnegan may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252).
