One dead in Oahu accident

[DandyDon]

Not sure if this was a scuba or snorkel diving accident? Establishing flotation with a BC or snorkel vest should have been easy, but many snorkelers don't bother with the vests; some wear them wrong. Kahana Bay is on the northwest side of the island.

From Diver dies after being caught in current at Kahana Bay - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

KAAAWA (HawaiiNewsNow) - A man in his 40s died Friday night in an apparent diving accident in waters off Windward Oahu.Fire officials said a father and son were diving in Kahana Bay when both were caught in a current Friday night. The son was able to swim to shore and called 911 at around 10 p.m.

Rescue crews later found the father's body in about 10 to 15 feet of water. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

[k ellis]

It could have been either way. As one whos line of work has taken from gunfights to facing people begging you to save their life I will say that it is true that everything is simple and easy in ideal conditions but when life or death sets in if your not rehearsed in the procedure then it is easy to loose control and not be able to think rationale. I hate hearing of anyones passing but there could be more to this story then told. I am not familiar with the area mentioned but jagged rocks can puncture the typical snorkle vest and there may have also been a medical condition he suffered from in his panic to make it to shore.

None the less I await more details

 

[Divedaily]

Not sure if this was a scuba or snorkel diving accident? Establishing flotation with a BC or snorkel vest should have been easy, but many snorkelers don't bother with the vests; some wear them wrong. Kahana Bay is on the northwest side of the island.

Why would it be a snorkel accident?? It very clearly states he was diving and although I understand that newspapers make a lot of mistakes there is no reason at all going from this report to believe he was snorkeling (you might as well assume he was water-skying). Also I wonder where it is stated that there was a problem with the vest? There are lots of things that could have gone wrong. Did they change the text and take out that information or are you just windmilling?

 

[DandyDon]

Not sure if this was a scuba or snorkel diving accident? Establishing flotation with a BC or snorkel vest should have been easy, but many snorkelers don't bother with the vests; some wear them wrong. Kahana Bay is on the northwest side of the island.

Why would it be a snorkel accident?? It very clearly states he was diving and although I understand that newspapers make a lot of mistakes there is no reason at all going from this report to believe he was snorkeling (you might as well assume he was water-skying). Also I wonder where it is stated that there was a problem with the vest? There are lots of things that could have gone wrong. Did they change the text and take out that information or are you just windmilling?

I said "Not sure if this was a scuba or snorkel diving accident?" because newspapers often don't clarify the difference. Not much is given at all. I hope that more information will show up.

 

[DennisS]

Lots of people free dive with mask, fins, snorkel. Very few wear vests of any kind (too much drag) and the depth would be good for free diving. Is Kahala bay on the NW side of the island?

 

[DandyDon]

Lots of people free dive with mask, fins, snorkel. Very few wear vests of any kind (too much drag) and the depth would be good for free diving. Is Kahala bay on the NW side of the island?

I know it's common. I used to at his age.

My mistake. Northeast side, or windward...

...

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Oahu, Kahana Valley Road, Hauula, HI - Google Maps

Kahana Bay is more of a freedive hunter site; Pretty sure it is really shallow. When you can see google map detail on the bottom of the channel, it is shallow.

 

[DandyDon]

From: Autopsy confirms diver died from accidental drowning - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL I wonder what they mean by his dive float, and if he had weights he failed to dump?

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - An autopsy on Monday confirmed that a man who died while diving with his son in Kahana Bay over the weekend drowned. The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office classified the death of Samuel Kahaloa, 45, of Honolulu as an accident. Fire officials say Kahaloa and his son got caught in a current, but the son managed to swim to shore and call 911.

Rescue crews recovered Kahaloa's body in about 10 to 15 feet of water. Fire officials say his dive float was still attached to him.

 

[riftvalley84]

Based on the info from this group: Hawaii Skin Diver • View topic - Diver dies after being caught in current at Kahana Bay they were skin diving and it was a night dive.

 

[DandyDon]

Well, skin diving can refer to breath hold or scuba - depending on whom one asks.