The U.S. Coast Guard and Hawaii Fire Department suspended Monday evening the search for a 46-year-old man who reportedly fell into the ocean Saturday at Kaiwi Point.
A friend of the missing man told Hawaii Fire Department personnel who responded to the 11:03 a.m. Saturday report that he had been picking opihi in the area south of Honokohau Harbor when his friend fell into the water, according to fire officials.
When he jumped into the water to help his friend, the victim grabbed his arm causing both to start to go under the water. The reporting party said he had to let go of the man to get a breath of air, and when he dove back down, he was unable to see the victim.
Rescue personnel said shoreline conditions were rough at the time. The man was last seen wearing a red T-shirt, “kalakoa” shorts, and black boots, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Both Hawaii County helicopters conducted aerial searches in the area while divers searched beneath the water’s surface. No sign of the man had been found as of sunset Saturday.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday evening it was suspending search operations.
“A total of 29 searches were conducted covering 658 square miles totaling 29.34 hours of active searching,” said Petty Officer 1st Class James Shaw, a search and rescue planner at Sector Honolulu. “It is always a difficult decision to make, but we have suspended the search this afternoon pending any new information.”
The Hawaii Fire Department said late Monday the search was called off with negative findings.