Police Investigating Possible Drowning at Kehena Beach

Big Island police are investigating a possible drowning in Puna.

At about 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, officers with the Hawai‘i Police Department responded to a report of a swimmer in distress at Kehena Beach. Beach bystanders were able to extract the swimmer from the ocean and begin CPR before personnel from the Hawai‘i Fire Department arrived and took over lifesaving measures.

Attempts to resuscitate the victim at the scene were unsuccessful. The 72-year-old man was identified as Gabriel DeSilva of Pāhoa, who was transported to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 8:10 a.m.

Police initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of DeSilva’s death.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police department’s nonemergency line at 808-935-3311.