Search Halted for Man Believed Missing While Diving

Following a four-day operation, the Hawaii Fire Department on Sunday night halted a search for a missing Kona diver.

Jeremiah Nathan, 42, of Kealakekua was believed to have gone diving off Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park on Wednesday. Friends reported him missing Thursday after he failed to catch a flight to California that morning.

Nathan’s pickup truck was found at 4 p.m. Thursday at the South Kona park. It was unlocked with his keys, wallet and cell phone inside. A friend told police that Nathan’s diving equipment was missing.

National Park Service photo.

The search included boat and diving helicopters operations for a mile in either direction, up to a quarter-mile offshore. A shoreline search was conducted roughly three miles to Ho`okena to the south, while a county helicopter searched from Ho`okena to Kealakekua, roughly two miles to the north of Honaunau.

The Coast Guard initially assisted in the search using a Dolfin helicopter, the cutter Kiska, and C130 aircraft.  The search patterns were based on Coast Guard drift buoy data and ocean conditions.