KAILUA-KONA — Two men were taken to the hospital after they were pulled from the water by a passing fishing boat captain Friday afternoon in Keauhou Bay.
The two men were off the point on the northern side of the bay when Capt. Kaui Fernandez of the skiff Hokulani saw a man waving aggressively.
When Fernandez approached, he saw two men in the water–one struggling and one floating face down. He threw a rope out to the struggling man, pulling him in and approaching the scene. The area is studded with submerged lava rock and coral heads.
“People thought I was on the rocks,” Fernandez said.
He then reached over in a sort of bear hug and pulled the unresponsive man into the boat. He immediately headed for shore, one hand on the man’s chest and the other on the wheel.
“I was pumping with one hand and steering with the other,” he said of his rescue effort.
His goal was to get to the dock where EMS personnel could begin treatment around 4 p.m.
Once ashore, one of the victims remained unresponsive, even as EMS continued with chest compressions. The other was wearing a breathing mask when he was rushed to an ambulance.
His arms had fallen to the sides when the crews tried to load him in.
“Hug yourself! Hug yourself!” the rescue crew said.
Perhaps confused by the action or exhausted by the stress, it wasn’t until someone said “pull your arms in” that they were able to get him into the ambulance.
Fernandez had no idea who the men were, but was glad he was able to help.
“I’ve never done anything like that before,” he said.
How the men got into the water is unclear as is the status of their conditions. Police are investigating.
Their identities were also unavailable at press time.