Officials investigate string of snorkeling deaths on Hawaii Island

Officials are trying to answer a hard question on Hawaii Island: why are visitors still dying after entering the water to snorkel, and what warning signs are being missed at familiar west-side spots?

The concern has sharpened as police investigate multiple ocean deaths involving visitors, including recent cases in Kailua-Kona and South Kona. In the latest incidents, police said no foul play is suspected and ordered autopsies and coroner’s inquest investigations to determine the exact causes.

Hawaii Department of Health data shows drowning is the fifth leading cause of fatal injuries in the state, with an average of nearly 40 deaths a year. Non-residents account for 53% of drowning victims in Hawaii, and the state says the rate of fatal ocean drowning for non-residents is about eight times higher than for residents.

State ocean-safety officials say snorkeling stands out as especially dangerous because more Hawaii visitors drown while snorkeling than during any other activity. Their guidance is direct: snorkelers should be experienced ocean swimmers, check conditions before entering the water, snorkel with a buddy, and avoid high surf, strong currents and shallow reef areas.

The pattern on Hawaii Island includes several recent and past deaths on the west side. On April 16, Charles Hutchinson, 26, of Honolulu, died after getting into trouble while scuba diving offshore of Kailua-Kona. Police said he became unresponsive after being brought aboard a fishing vessel and was pronounced dead at 12:57 p.m.

On May 10, Mindy Morris, 65, of Panama City, Florida, died after snorkeling in Honaunau Bay in South Kona. Police said she had been snorkeling with family members, reportedly had difficulty breathing after returning to shore, then lost consciousness.

The warning signs also reach back to 2023, when Martha Kurica, 68, of Colorado Springs, died after being observed in distress during a guided snorkeling excursion in Makako Bay, Kailua-Kona. In another 2023 west-side episode, Hawaii island police investigated two ocean-related deaths within 24 hours of each other, including a snorkeling-tour death at Keauhou Bay and a separate death at Kaunaoa Bay.

Together, the cases have left officials with the same unresolved question: whether the danger is being underestimated by visitors drawn to Hawaii Island’s shoreline, or whether changing conditions are making familiar snorkeling sites more unforgiving than many realize.