KAPA‘A — A California man was rescued from the water off a resort after he found himself in distress while swimming earlier this week.
The Kaua‘i Fire Department (KFD) said the incident happened on Tuesday morning.
“According to a preliminary report, firefighters with the Kapa‘a fire station were dispatched to a report of a distressed swimmer in the waters fronting the Pono Kai Resort shortly before 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday,” the KFD said.
“Firefighters arrived shortly after and spotted the swimmer about 60 yards from shore. First responders entered the water with a rescue tube and retrieved the swimmer.”
The 25-year-old swimmer was later assessed by American Medical Response (AMR) personnel. No injuries were reported at the time of the incident.
The rescue came a few days after a 69-year-old Colorado man died after being pulled from the water off Allerton Beach on Friday, March 1. The incident happened about 1 p.m., when the man struck his head on a rock while boogie boarding.
“With assistance from Allerton Garden security, firefighters and medics extricated the man out of the remote location to awaiting AMR medics who provided advanced life support. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead by a medical doctor,” the KFD said.
Two days earlier, on Wednesday, Feb. 28, a 20-year-old female visitor from Idaho died after being pulled from the water off Lumaha‘i Beach. The Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) said the incident happened at about 3 p.m., at which time first responders were dispatched to the scene.
“According to a preliminary report, the victim had been swimming when she was suddenly swept out into deeper water. Kaua‘i Fire Department personnel with the Kaiakea fire station, Rescue 3 aboard Air 1 and Ocean Safety Bureau (OSB) lifeguards with the North Roving Patrol Unit responded to the incident,” the KPD said.
“Rescue 3 aboard Air 1 located the unresponsive woman in the water at approximately 3:10 p.m. She was brought to shore by OSB personnel. Rescuers immediately began to administer CPR until AMR (American Medical Response) medics arrived on scene and took over advanced resuscitation efforts.”
The woman, whose name was not released, was then taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihu‘e where she was pronounced dead.
