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A 73-year-old man who drowned while bodyboarding in Kauai has been identified as Byron Elmendorf of Washington state.
Police said Elmendorf was standing in shallow waters at Hanalei Bay when he collapsed shortly before noon on Nov. 22. Lifeguards administered advanced lifesaving measures to no avail. He was transported to Wilcox Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Autopsy results determined drowning as the cause of death and heart disease as a contributing factor.
Body discovered in Hilo Bay identified as California man
The body of a 61-year-old California man who was swept away in Wailuku River has been positively identified.
Hawaii island police said the body of George Novinger of Spring Valley, Calif., was discovered Friday in the Wainaku area of Hilo Bay. He was identified by dental records.
Novinger and his wife, Gladys, fell into the water while crossing the river above the falls at Rainbow Falls State Park in Hilo on Nov. 25. She was extricated by helicopter from a pool below the falls and taken to Hilo Medical Center, where she died at 4:25 p.m. as the search for George Novinger continued.
Novinger’s body was found at the bottom of a 35-foot cliff along the shoreline, police said.
“Autopsies on both victims were performed, but the cause of death has been deferred pending toxicology results, though preliminary results indicate that both died as a result of freshwater drowning,” police said in a news release.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 935-3311, or contact Detective Dean Uyetake at 961-2379 or Dean.Uyetake@hawaiicounty.gov.
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