The search for a missing free diver continued through its second day Friday off North Kohala, with searchers covering 1,303 square miles by the afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.
No sign of the 55-year-old man, identified as Loren “Jamie” Salis, had been turned up as of press time despite divers being aided by good water visiblity. Winds were blowing out of the east at 20 mph and seas were reported to be up to 10 feet.
Two friends called the Coast Guard at 2:40 a.m. Thursday reporting that Loren “Jamie” Salis, 55, had gone missing. They said he was last seen at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday off of Old Coast Guard Road. He was wearing a black wetsuit and diving weights.
The area is popular for free divers, as the sea life has not been as heavily hunted as elsewhere on the island. Old Coast Guard Road is a mixture of potholed roadway and recently repaved sections, ending in a parking lot near structures remaining from a former Coast Guard LORAN, short for long range navigation, station. The lot is one of the few areas on the coast to park legally.
The Coast Guard sent a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point and the cutter Ahi from Honolulu to aid in the search.
The Dolphin allowed the crew to spot a submerged dive light, the first sign of Salis. They could not tell if he was in the area, which was left to a Hawaii Fire Department dive team. They found a diving spear, as well.
The HFD also sent its rescue boat and Chopper 2 to search the area.
The operation was based out of the Mahukona Beach Park, including using part of a promontory as a landing area for helicopters.
The combined assets of the HFD and Coast Guard had completed 14 sorties.
“The disappearance of the diver does not appear to be connected to Wednesday night’s tsunami advisory as his disappearance took place several hours prior to the forecasted arrival of any earthquake generated waves or currents,” a Coast Guard press release said.
Anyone with information that may help locate the diver is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at 842-2600.