HONOLULU — A man who was hospitalized after nearly drowning in the 45th annual Waikiki Roughwater Swim event has died.
Race director Kaia Hedlund told KHON2 a lifeguard spotted the 49-year-old unresponsive in the water at Kaimana Beach just before 10 a.m. Monday. He was brought back to shore where CPR was administered until paramedics arrived.
Hedlund said it’s the first death in the race’s history.
About an hour later, a 50-year-old man collapsed near the race and was hospitalized in critical condition.
Race officials said the man wasn’t a swimmer but was assisted by private lifeguards hired for the event.
The Waikiki Roughwater Swim is an ocean swim race of about 2 miles. It begins by the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel and ends at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Rainbow Tower.