Apparent Drowning Reported Near Honoka`a

A man picking opihi on the shoreline near Honoka`a apparently was swept into the ocean and drowned this afternoon.

A fire department helicopter arriving at an area known as Kawela’s off Waipio Road at 2 p.m. found the 27-year-old man unconscious and floating face down.

A rescue swimmer deployed from the chopper placed the man into a Billy Pugh net. He was flown to a waiting ambulance which took the victim to the emergency room at Hale Ho`ola in Honoka`a.

The man has not been identified.