Police Identify Possible South Kohala Drowning Victim

Hawaiʻi Island police have identified the victim in a possible South Kohala drowning that occurred late last week.

On Friday, June 25, at approximately 1:36 p.m., South Kohala Patrol officers and members of the Hawai’i Fire Department responded to the Waikoloa Beach Resort area after a report of an unresponsive male snorkeler.

The snorkeler was observed to be unresponsive and was assisted to shore. With the assistance of a bystander, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was performed on the male prior to his being transported to the Queens North Hawai’i Community Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 7:18 p.m.

The victim has been identified as George Diec, a 73-year-old visitor from Illinois.

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