Police ID victim of apparent drowning off Puna

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Hawaii Island police have identified the victim of a possible drowning that occurred Christmas Day, Saturday, in the Kalapana area.

The victim was identified Tuesday by the Hawaii Police Department as 41-year-old Oscar Odom of Puna. Odom had recently moved to Puna from Alaska.

About 1 p.m. Saturdya, officers responded to a report of a swimmer in distress along the coastline in Kalapana. Hawaii Fire Department rescue personnel extracted the swimmer from the ocean and began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation along with County of Hawaii lifeguards however, attempts to resuscitate Odom at the scene were unsuccessful.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Anyone with information on this incident should call the department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311.