Posted on: Friday, June 15, 2001

Many young lives lost in Hilo's Wailuku River

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — While long-time residents know the Wailuku River is dangerous, its swirling waters trap the young and unknowing over and over again, frustrating Big Island officials.

Aaron James Luhia-Ogata, 14, of Puna was the latest victim, pulled under Wednesday afternoon. He drowned within minutes, though rescuers were quickly on the scene. Two veteran fire rescue divers, acting Capt. Theodore Van Gelden and rescueman Miles Kawazoe, found Luhia-Ogata's body pinned under a rocky ledge.

Swimmers in distress in the Wailuku seldom survive, said Kala Mossman, a fire rescueman of 10 years who had 17 years of scuba diving experience.

That's because the "currents are so strong, and the swimmers often are young or inexperienced."

The undertow, which Mossman described as currents pushing through "with a downward thrust," traps swimmers who get into trouble. They become lodged in lava tubes or stuck between rocks.

No one has a precise death toll, but Van Gelden estimated the river, on average, claims a life each year.

The victim's 12-year-old cousin, William Rosehill, was at the river with Luhia-Ogata. He told investigators that Luhia-Ogata "just collapsed and went down; he just went down."

The boy was not seen again until Van Gelden pulled his body from 25 feet of water near the Wainaku Bridge.

Aside from the powerful currents, Mossman said the Wailuku also is murky. "Sometimes you can't see your hand in front of your face." That slows rescue efforts.

"You always hope they are able to live through it, but rarely do we save someone after they get into trouble in the Wailuku," Mossman said.

The river that carries runoff from mountains upslope of Hilo is best known for tourist attraction Rainbow Falls and, farther mauka, Pe'epe'e Falls State Park, commonly known as Boiling Pots.

The course of the river that empties into Hilo Bay is dangerous. Many lives are claimed upstream of where Luhia-Ogata was swimming at the popular youth spots known as "the slides," "the ropes" and "South America," located off Reeds Island.

One big problem in controlling access is jurisdiction, because private residential parcels go to the water's edge.

In the 1990s, neighborhood residents met to try to discourage swimmers after a spate of deaths. They helped get a sign posted at the Reeds Island wooden bridge, warning swimmers that there is no public access upstream.

That has not stopped them from entering the water, said attorney Brian De Lima, who lives on Reeds Island.

Harry Kim, then Civil Defense chief, urged steps be taken to halt swimming after the July 1996 death of a 14-year-old. He summoned state and county officials but was unable to do much. Now as mayor, he thinks the treacherous river's use should be reviewed again.

There were no swimmers in the water yesterday. That may have been because of the rainy conditions rather than a response to the drowning, according to residents familiar with the risks.

Police were awaiting results of an autopsy yesterday before closing the case they have classified as a public accident.

A Dodo Mortuary spokesman said the victim's family is scheduled to make funeral arrangements sometime today.