17-year-old from Kona dies while spearfishing

A 17-year-old who was found unresponsive on the ocean floor near the public beach access at Hokulia in Kailua-Kona on Monday has been positively identified as a local teenager, Yohan Choi.

Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating the death as a possible drowning.

Shortly after 4:31 p.m. on July 24, Kona patrol officers responded to a report of a missing spearfisherman. The officers were told four spear fishermen, including Choi, entered the ocean at 1:30 p.m., but three hours later when they exited the water Choi could not be found. 

During a search, Choi was located on the ocean floor and brought to the shore. CPR was performed until Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene, but attempts to resuscitate Choi were unsuccessful.

He was transported to the Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 5:29 p.m.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact Kona Patrol Officer Kyle Murray, via email at Kyle.Murray@hawaiicounty.gov, or the police department’s non-emergency at 808-935-3311.