Visitors Snorkeling at Mākena and Kapalua Bay, Pulled to Shore Unresponsive

Emergency crews on Maui responded to two separate incidents on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, where visitors were pulled unresponsive from the ocean while snorkeling.

PC: File image of Makena Landing by Wendy Osher. Maui Now graphic.

The first incident was reported at 8:25 a.m. at Kapalua Bay in West Maui, where emergency crews responded to a person pulled unresponsive from the ocean.

Fire and paramedic crews from Nāpili arrived at 8:33 a.m. to find a 76-year-old male visitor from New Jersey, on the beach and breathing on his own. Paramedics treated the man at the scene, and then transported him to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition.

Fire officials say the man was snorkeling by himself when witnesses noticed he had stopped moving. Bystanders pulled the man to shore after checking and finding him unresponsive. Once on shore, bystanders gave the man rescue breaths and he began to breathe on his own shortly after, according to department reports.

The second incident was reported at 3:58 p.m. at Mākena Landing, where emergency crews responded to a report of an unresponsive individual pulled from the ocean.

Paramedics and firefighters from the Wailea area arrived at 4:09 p.m. and took over CPR that was being performed on a man by bystanders on shore. Rescue crews continued CPR and eventually transported the man, who had no pulse, to the Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition.

Fire officials described the individual as a 55-year-old male visitor from Vancouver, British Colombia and said he was snorkeling alone when the incident occurred. According to department reports, bystanders found the man floating face down in the water and brought him to shore.