Waters off Kihei, Wailea claim 3 visitors in 5 days

A tourist from Canada died Monday after he lost consciousness in shallow waters off Wailea.

He was the third visitor to die off South Maui beaches since Thursday.

Just after noon Monday, emergency crews responded to Ulua Beach in Wailea. Firefighters arrived to find bystanders on the beach performing CPR on a male victim, Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said by email.

Firefighters and paramedics continued the lifesaving measures, but the man could not be revived, Taomoto said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man, 66, a visitor from Saskatchewan, had been scuba diving with a family member. He had just left the water, but went back to help the family member with gear.

He became unresponsive while swimming back to shore, Taomoto said.

On Saturday a 67-year-old California man died after he was found unresponsive off Kamaole Beach Park III in Kihei.

He was the second visitor to have died while snorkeling at the beach park since Thursday. Positive identification is pending notification of next of kin.

Just after 6 p.m., Taomoto said, the visitor from Castro Valley was snorkeling with friends about 20 yards from shore. At some point his friends noticed he wasn’t moving.

When they checked on him, they found him facedown and unresponsive.

Taomoto said they brought him to shore and administered CPR. Bystanders also assisted.

Fire rescue and paramedics arrived and continued lifesaving measures but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Thursday a 50-year-old man identified as Bryan Beyer of Oakland, Calif., died after he was found unresponsive in knee-deep water at the same beach. The exact cause of death is unknown at this time.

Taomoto said he was snorkeling alone when beachgoers found him unresponsive and floating facedown in the water.

Bystanders pulled him to shore and administered CPR on him until lifeguards, fire rescue and paramedics arrived and took over. Efforts to resuscitate Beyer were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.

Taomoto said ocean conditions were calm in both incidents, and both were wearing one-piece, full-face snorkel masks.