Kaua'i County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said police would not identify the man until next of kin are notified.

Kaua'i Fire Department officials said a 14-year-old boy from Honolulu was swept out at Lumaha'i Beach near the river mouth at around noon. Three Alabama men along with the boy's grandfather and another visitor saw that the boy was in trouble and jumped in to try to help him.

But with a very strong current, rough seas and a 4-foot shorebreak, they all had difficulty in the water themselves, said Daubert. Surfers and boogey boarders in the water helped bring everyone to shore.

A retired police officer started to administer CPR to the Alabama man, and firefighters and emergency medical technicians continued life-saving efforts when they arrived. Despite rescue efforts, the man was pronounced dead at Wilcox Hospital.