Search Called Off for Nurse Swept Down River

The search for Kelly Mrowinski, the traveling nurse who was swept down the Wailuku River after going for a swim with her boyfriend at Pi‘ihonua Falls on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, has officially ended pending any new developments. Mrowinski’s body was not found.

Kelly Mrowinski. PC: NBC

“The helicopter was used today to do a final aerial search of the shoreline and Wailuku River,” said Hawai‘i Fire Chief Darren Rosario on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018.

Hawai‘i Fire Department search and rescue for woman who was swept down the Wailuku River.

Big Island Now asked Chief Rosario how many lives have been lost on the Wailuku River over the last decade. He stated that he knows of the following (incident reports) beginning in 2011, when he started to track incidents as a fire chief:

Incidents in last decade:

• 2017 two incidents
• 2016 one incidents
• 2015 one incident
• 2014 one incident
• 2013 None
• 2012 None
• 2011 one incident

Chief Rosario stated, “We average one incident per year related to Wailuku River rescues.”

The chief stated that he could not verify the outcomes of those incidents.

The Hawai‘i Fire Department reports that “the search included many hours of search through the air, with ground crews and dive teams. Our thoughts and prayers goes out to her family during this time.”