Parents lose suit over baby’s death

The parents of an American Samoan baby who died at Honolulu Airport have lost a lawsuit they filed against the U.S. government.

U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright ruled Thursday that Luaipou and Tony Futi failed to prove that the United States was liable for any negligence in the death of 14-day-old Michael Futi.

The baby died Feb. 9, 2008, while locked in a customs room at the airport with his mother and a nurse. They had flown from the U.S. territory to Hawaii so he could undergo emergency surgery to repair a hole in his heart.

The suit had asserted Customs and Border Protection was negligent in its handling of Michael Futi’s medical information and screening the party, causing the baby’s death.

Humpback health in sanctuary ‘fair’

A new report says the health of humpback whales within the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is rated "fair."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said yesterday that the rating reflects an increase in reported collisions, entanglements and associated impacts.

Officials say entanglements and whale-vessel collisions have been widely identified as the primary human cause of death for humpback whales, both in Hawaii and around the world. The status of humpback whales in the sanctuary is rated "good/fair" in the NOAA report.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Lifeguards host seminars

The Kauai Lifeguard Association will host the 2010 State of Hawaii Ocean Safety and Drowning Prevention Conference on Aug. 12 and 13 at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club.

Presentations will be made on box jellyfish, drowning prevention for kids, hypothermic treatment of drowning patients, injury prevention and ocean safety.