Drownings claim 2 Kauai tourists
Advertiser Staff
Two tourists drowned in separate incidents on Kaua'i yesterday afternoon, county officials reported.
In the first incident, a 20-year-old man from North Carolina drowned while snorkeling at Waiohai Bay in Po'ipu.
The man was found face down about 20 feet from shore at about 1 pm.
Lifeguards from the Po'ipu tower performed CPR, which was continued after firefighters from the Koloa station and medics arrived, a county news release said.
The man was taken to Wilcox Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
On the other side of the island, a 41-year man visitor from Portland, Ore., drowned at Kauapea Beach near Kílauea. The beach is commonly known as Secret Beach.
According to a preliminary report, the man and his 32-year-old brother were swimming at the north shore beach at about 1:28 p.m. when a strong current swept them out and around the coast toward Hanalei.
A surfer in the area swam out to assist them and brought the younger man safely ashore.
The man who was rescued then grabbed a rescue tube and swam back out to help his older brother. Upon reaching him, he found his brother face down in the water.
Four fire companies responded to a 911 call.
The man was taken to Wilcox Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
