A 49-year-old swimmer participating in the 45th annual Waikiki Roughwater Swim event Monday has died after he ran into trouble halfway through the race. 

At about 9:55 a.m. water safety personnel hired by event organizers spotted the swimmer in distress. Lifeguards immediately responded, brought the swimmer to Kaimana Beach and administered CPR. He was unresponsive.

Paramedics transported the swimmer to an area hospital in critical condition. 

According to Kaia Hedlund, president and race director, the swimmer died. 

“It is very, very painful for everybody,” said Hedlund of the swimmer’s death.

The medical examiner’s office has yet to release the 49-year-old man’s identification.  

The annual ocean swim race is held at Waikiki Beach that starts at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel and ends at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. 

At about 11:05 a.m., a second swimmer who was not an event participant collapsed on the beach near Hale Koa Hotel. Hedlund said their water safety personnel helped the swimmer. 

EMS spokeswoman Shayne Enright said a swimmer in his 50s collapsed after he got out of the water. He was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.