A 52-year-old California man apparently drowned in waters South Kohala on Sunday.
The victim has been identified as Steve Reading of Murrieta, California, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Police officers and Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded about 11 a.m. to a report of an unresponsive snorkeler found in waters at Anaehoomalu Bay, within Waikoloa Beach Resort.
Reading was part of a chartered tour that was located a few hundred feet from the Anaehoomalu Bay shoreline when the tour crew noticed he appeared to be in distress. The crew brought him back to the tour boat and performed CPR while transporting him to shore, police said.
Hawaii Fire Department medics continued CPR and transported the victim to Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 7:52 p.m.
Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation relative to this incident and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.