Kealakekua man dies after possible drowning while picking opihi near Hōkūlia

A Kealakekua man died after being found underwater near the Hōkūlia shoreline while picking opihi, a shoreline harvest that has long carried deadly risks on Hawaii Island’s rugged coast.

Hawaii Police Department identified the victim as John Kauhaihao, 64, of Kealakekua. Officers responded about 1:45 p.m. Friday, May 1, after a report of an unresponsive man who had been brought ashore by a privately owned vessel. Police said Kauhaihao had been last seen picking opihi along the Hōkūlia shoreline, a stretch of rock and surf zone that can turn treacherous in seconds.

A friend who had been with Kauhaihao earlier in the day could not find him and asked others for help. A boat was used to search the shoreline, and Kauhaihao was located underwater about 30 feet from the rocky shoreline, near the area where he was last seen. He was taken by boat to Keauhou Bay, then transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police opened a coroner’s inquest investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Detectives said no foul play is suspected at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Joel Furuto at 808-935-3311 or joel.furuto@hawaiipolice.gov.

The case is another reminder of why opihi picking remains one of the most dangerous traditional activities along the Kona coast. Gatherers work on slippery rocks, often close to breaking surf and surge channels that can sweep a person off balance and pull them into deep water before help can reach them. Even experienced shoreline gatherers are vulnerable when waves shift or footing fails.

The danger has also remained a law-enforcement issue on Hawaii Island. In 2025, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and its Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement cited and arrested people in Kona for undersized opihi violations, including activity along shoreline areas near Kailua-Kona and the Alii Drive shoreline. The incidents show that demand for opihi continues, even as the rocks and surf that draw gatherers also make the coast one of the island’s most unforgiving places.