POLICE BEAT
3 visitors killed in waters off Kauai
Advertiser Staff
Three people apparently drowned yesterday on Kaua'i, two on the north shore and another in Wailua.
Evidently, all three victims were tourists.
The deaths of two women, ages 33 and 38, sisters-in-law from Washington, D.C., and Parker, Colo., respectively; and a 74-year-old Japanese man occurred yesterday afternoon, according to county officials.
The women were knocked off a ledge at Queen's Bath by a large wave and swept out to sea at 3:24 p.m. Their bodies were recovered by firefighters and lifeguards from Hanalei.
One of the victim's husbands attempted to rescue them, but the strong current forced him to return to shore.
Two firefighters swam out to retrieve one of the victims and waited until lifeguards arrived on jet-powered watercraft. The lifeguards were transporting the first victim when they found the second woman about 75 to 100 yards away.
Both women were taken to the beach fronting Princeville at Hanalei resort, then to the Hanalei fire station and later to Borthwick Mortuary, a county spokeswoman said.
The visitor from Japan was found unresponsive in the water at 2:54 p.m., and was brought to shore fronting the Lae Nani condominium.
Rescue specialists from the Lihu'e fire station and medics responded and found bystanders performing CPR on the man when they arrived.
The man was pronounced dead at Wilcox Hospital.
County officials did not release names of the victims.
