A 52-year-old Kailua-Kona man apparently drowned Tuesday afternoon in waters within Kua Bay in North Kona, according to the Hawaii County Fire Department.
The man has been identified as James Michael Call, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Call, known fondly to his coworkers as “Mike,” was a page designer for West Hawaii Today whose responsibilities included laying out the front page that was seen by more than 30,000 people each day.
Rescue crews with the Kailua Fire Station responded shortly after 5 p.m. to a report of a man found floating in the waters of the bay, which is located within Kekaha Kai State Park. Bystanders had brought him to shore and began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, prior to the arrival of medics.
Police said the man was found floating face down in waters about 100 yards off shore.
The man was transported to Kona Community Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 6:04 p.m. Tuesday.
No foul play is suspected and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death, according to police.