KAILUA-KONA — A 94-year-old man is dead after suffering an apparent medical issue while swimming at Kahaluu Beach Park, authorities confirmed.
First responders were initially dispatched to the Kona beach at about 10 a.m. Thursday when they received a call about a drowning. When Hawaii firefighters arrived at the scene, on duty lifeguards were performing CPR on the Kona man. He was later taken to Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Firefighters later learned from a bystander that the victim was swimming for about five minutes before he went face down and stopped moving. The 94-year-old was in this condition for about two minutes before the lifeguards were called, according to a press release from Hawaii Fire Department.
The release indicates the man suffered a possible cardiac event, which led to an apparent drowning.
Kahaluu Beach Park is one of the island’s most popular beaches known for snorkeling. Dani Duvall, a part time Hawaii resident, said she has been coming to the park for the past five years.
She was at the beach Thursday with family when she saw the ambulance.
“I’ve never seen a problem at Kahaluu at all,” Duvall said about her experiences during the years she’s been coming to the beach.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.