Man Spearfishing Drowns Off South Kona Beach

A 27-year-old man apparently drowned Wednesday afternoon while spearfishing off a South Kona beach.

A witness told authorities that he watched the snorkeler dive underwater about 150 yards off Pebble Beach at about 4 p.m. When the diver failed to surface, the witness went to a nearby home to call for help.

When a fire department helicopter arrived at the scene at 4:38 p.m., its crew observed the man’s body 30 to 40 feet below the surface. Two fire department rescuers swam from shore and pulled him from the water.

The man was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:03 p.m.

He has not been identified pending notification of next of kin.

An autopsy has been ordered.

Pebble Beach is located at the end of Kaohe Road in the Kona Paradise subdivision.