Diver critical after rescue - Mokuleia Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

[DandyDon]

Diver critical after being found unresponsive in water off Mokuleia Beach​

WAIALUA, Hawaii (KITV4) – A diver is in critical condition after being pulled from the water at a beach on Oahu’s North Shore, Wednesday afternoon.
First responders were called out to the scene at Mokuleia Beach Park around 12:30 p.m.
Authorities say the diver was found unresponsive near the shoreline at Mokuleia Beach. Bystanders pulled the man from the water and started CPR before rescuers arrived.
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) took over trying to resuscitate the victim before taking him to the hospital in critical condition. He has only been identified as a man in his 50s.

Investigators have not said if the victim was diving alone or with a group nor have they said if he is local or a visitor on Oahu.
Crews with Honolulu EMS, Ocean Safety, and the Honolulu Fire Department responded to the scene.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

The title of the thread is a bit misleading. They state in the article that they did not know if the diver was alone or with a group. That means we do not know if he was a solo diver. Facts not in evidence (sorry, been watching too many legal shows lol)

 

[DandyDon]

The title of the thread is a bit misleading. They state in the article that they did not know if the diver was alone or with a group. That means we do not know if he was a solo diver. Facts not in evidence (sorry, been watching too many legal shows lol)

Thanks. Changed the title.

Excerpting from...

Diver, 43, dies in apparent drowning at Mokuleia Beach

A 43-year-old diver has died after he was found unresponsive in the water near Mokuleia Beach Park Wednesday, Honolulu police said.

www.staradvertiser.com

Paramedics administered advanced life-saving support and took him in critical condition to a hospital.

Police said he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

 

[gmerick]

KHON News - Three free-divers, night dive, 4 ft surge.

Man who died free-diving in Mokuleia identified
Posted: Apr 6, 2019 / 06:30 PM HST Updated: Apr 10, 2019 / 06:02 PM HST
A Pearl City man died while free-diving in Mokuleia on Oahu’s North Shore Friday night.
The medical examiner identified the man as 45-year-old John Matapua.
Rescue crews say he was with two other divers when they ran into trouble around 9 p.m. Friday.
Two divers were able to make it to shore.
The third diver, an adult male in his 40’s, was still unaccounted for.
HFD personnel on rescue boards could not locate the third diver at the location that he was last seen.
They returned to shore and Air1 began an aerial search.
HFD located the third diver under water approximately 40 yards off shore.
HFD crews made contact with the unresponsive diver and secured him on shore at 10:25 p.m.
He was pronounced dead at 10:36 p.m.
The cause of death is still unknown at this time. However, professional divers say ocean conditions were not ideal for diving on the North Shore last night.
HFD said attempts to find Matapua were difficult due to the darkness and rescue crews said there were also strong currents.
“On a night dive you can’t see much,” said Ricardo Taveira, master scuba diver trainer and owner of Hawaii Eco Dive, which owns a shop on the North Shore. “You can’t see swells coming at you, you only have one specific entry and exit point so if anything goes wrong—and if there’s any unexpected swell arriving and you don’t know about it, it can be pretty treacherous to you.”
Taveira even cancelled a tour leaving the west side of the island yesterday due to the swell.
He says he only dives the North Shore in the summer once the swells calm down.
Divers also advise having a plan in case something goes wrong.
“Sometimes going out when the sun goes down can make it real difficult once you’re out there,” said Kyle Nakamoto, executive producer of Hawaii Skin Diver TV. “If you know the weather conditions ahead of time, you can kind of plan accordingly.”
He also suggests having a floating device like a boogie board as backup.
He says divers should have a dive float, dive flag, a good dive light, pair of gloves, snorkel, mask, fins and a dive bag.
He suggests bringing a boogie board in case you get tired when you’re out at sea. He also recommends glow sticks for night divers as well.
Fire officials said it was hard to see exactly how big the waves were due to the darkness, but they estimate the break area around four feet.

 

[noserider]

Fire officials said it was hard to see exactly how big the waves were due to the darkness, but they estimate the break area around four feet.

If the Hawaiians are calling waves 4 feet, that is normally a measurement from the back of the waves which would mean wave faces are 8 foot or well overhead , so quite chunky

 

[Steelyeyes]

We only went diving on the North Shore in the summer when I lived there. This time of year is too sporty to be safe.