Diver lost off of Big Island - Hawaii

[DandyDon]

Coast Guard suspends search for missing diver

The Coast Guard suspended the search Tuesday morning for a diver who was reported missing Monday by a good Samaritan off Pahoehoe Beach.

No missing persons or reports of distress have been reported in the area.

Helicopter crews from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, Crews of USCGC Kiska from Hilo and a helicopter, rescue boat and ground crews from Hawaii County Fire Department conducted nine searches, covering 175 square miles.

The good Samaritan said the man was Caucasian, looked to be in his early 20s, and weighed about 150 pounds with red hair. He was reportedly wearing blue board shorts and a white rash guard with blue lettering. The man was last seen at 12:40 p.m. leaving the beach to swim out to the farthest rocks with fins, a mask, diving gear and a back up regulator. The good Samaritan watched because the diver went out alone. After two hours, the good Samaritan reported the diver overdue to Hawaii Fire Department.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Unless it's a different Pahoehoe beach, it's on the Kona side of the island, South of downtown Kailua, and pretty rocky with rough water and mixed tidal currents. Not what I recall as being a good dive site. The water there can get extremely cold in spots away from shore as you have water coming up from deep in the ocean. Probably why a local was watching.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

My first thought was that he entered at Pahoehoe and swam south to Magic Sands for an easier exit, unseen by the good Samaritan. He's probably at home unaware that he is missing.

 

[Gdog]

My first thought was that he entered at Pahoehoe and swam south to Magic Sands for an easier exit, unseen by the good Samaritan. He's probably at home unaware that he is missing.

Im going to agree with you. Exit at that beach would be rough.

 

[MalibuJerry]

I dove there once, the waves were ankle-slappers and I did not think the exit was a big deal, but it is easy, as I recall, to route your dive quite far down from the beach, so an exit further down is logical