Missing Diver Kailua-Kona - Solo, Night Dive

[grantwiscour]

Hawaiʻi Island Police report that 45-year-old Alan Delatorre of Kailua-Kona was reported as missing after failing to return from a night dive on the evening of Friday, Oct. 4, 2019.

Delatorre failed to return home following his solo dive and neither family or friends have heard from him since. His truck was located on the morning of Sunday Oct. 6, in the area of Aliʻi Drive.

A dive buoy that is believed to belong to Delatorre was also located approximately 100 yards offshore in the area known as Bubba’s Beach on Aliʻi Drive.

Hawaiʻi Fire Department divers recovered clothes and diving equipment in the waters near the buoy that were identified as belonging to Delatorre.

Alan Delatorre is described as being 5 feet, 4 inches, 156 pounds, medium build, with black hair and brown eyes.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact Officer Adam Cho at (808) 326-4646, ext. 296 or the department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311.



https://bigislandnow.com/2019/10/07...lLgQsj-QfDCwQjIs8JD96piViNQrIGKfa4uVvDvs20bFM

 

[iamrushman]

this is interesting....best of luck.

 

[cephalopod2]

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

The article below suggests that he was spearfishing and diving that night.

Search suspended for missing diver
By CHELSEA JENSEN West Hawaii Today | Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 12:05 a.m.

KAILUA-KONA — Police took over the case of a 45-year-old Kailua-Kona man reported as missing after he did not return from a dive Friday night in Kailua Bay.

Alan Delatorre did not return home following the solo dive, and neither family nor friends have heard from him since, according to the Hawaii Police Department. Delatorre is described as having a medium build, standing at 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and weighing 156 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

Delatorre’s truck was located Sunday morning in the area of Uncle Billy’s Kona Bay Hotel in Kailua Village. A dive buoy that is thought to belong to Delatorre was also located about 100 yards offshore of the former Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Alii Drive.

A search ensued, and Hawaii Fire Department divers subsequently recovered clothes and diving equipment in the waters near the buoy, police said. The items were identified as belonging to Delatorre.

The U.S. Coast Guard also assisted in the effort by diverting a cutter to the scene, launching a helicopter and crew and issuing an urgent marine information broadcast, said Chief Petty Officer Sara Muir of U.S. Coast Guard District 14 in Honolulu.

Muir said the dive float was reportedly seen in the same location Saturday, but because there were no missing people reported, rescue personnel stood down that day. She said the equipment located by fire rescue personnel Sunday was consistent with diving and spear fishing and the Coast Guard was released from the effort.

Helen Delatorre, who identified herself as Alan Delatorre’s wife, said the family, including his two children, remain hopeful he will return.

The fire department suspended the active search Sunday after finding the man’s belongings and speaking with the family.

Anyone with information about Delatorre’s whereabouts should contact Officer Adam Cho at 326-4646, ext. 296, or the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311.

Search suspended for missing diver - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

 

[grantwiscour]

Missing Diver Possibly Shark Attack Victim

https://bigislandnow.com/2019/10/10...ing_wp_cron=1570762733.1265680789947509765625

 

[Steve_C]

Shredded clothes and no body. Sounds like a shark attack. Also he was spear fishing so could have had a fish as an attractant.

 

[peterak]

Not to diminish the tragedy, but, for what it's worth, spearfishing with scuba equipment is illegal along the entire west coast of the Big Island.

 

[Bob DBF]

Not to diminish the tragedy, but, for what it's worth, spearfishing with scuba equipment is illegal along the entire west coast of the Big Island.

Could you point me to the information that he was on scuba, as I have not seen it yet.


Bob

 

[Steve_C]

Could you point me to the information that he was on scuba, as I have not seen it yet.


Bob

Good observation. My mind thought scuba based on the wording like "dive" instead of "dives" or "diving" but it does not actually say scuba.

 

[peterak]

Well, I could swear I’d seen scuba mentioned somewhere in one of the news articles, but now I can’t find it. Maybe it was edited out of later iterations of the news reports(and/or previous SB posts) or maybe I made the same mistaken assumption as Steve C. If so, mea culpa.

 

[Dan]

Last September I went to Cocos after a diver fatally injured by a tiger shark. After that incident, the dive operator cancelled all night dives.