The Kauai Fire Department on Monday identified the visitor who was swept out to sea while on a kayak and hiking tour on Kauai as Aimee Abrahim of California.
Abrahim, 32 of El Cajon, died after a flash flood swept her out to sea Saturday afternoon while she was crossing a stream. Firefighters located Abrahim’s body Sunday morning.
“We’re all devastated,” said Peter Fisher, owner and operator of the tour company, Kayak Wailua. He said the incident happened near the end of the kayak tour.
At about 5 p.m., Fisher said, Abrahim and her sister were following a guide across the shallow stream to head back to their kayaks when “out of nowhere” a rush of swift-moving water came down the stream near Uluwehi Falls.
“It went from 45 cubic feet per second to 1,380 cubic feet per second,” Fisher said of the stream volume.
Both were swept away. Abrahim’s sister swam to shore but Abrahim was reported missing.
Firefighters initiated a search and used its rescue helicopter to airlift the seven other visitors and the guide from the tour. The search was suspended that night due to dangerous conditions and was resumed Sunday morning.
The five-hour tour, which began at 1 p.m., includes kayaking on Wailua River and a hike to Secret Falls.
Fisher said it was sunny until right before the incident.
When the tour started, a flash-flood watch was in effect for all islands.
That means “conditions are favorable for heavy rain and possible flash flooding,” said National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Kodama. “Conditions can change really quickly.”
The weather service issued a more serious flash-flood warning for Kauai at
4 p.m. after gauges showed intensified rainfall.
Fisher said the guides monitor weather reports and had canceled all tours Friday because of a flash-flood warning issued that morning for Kauai. The warning was canceled at the end of the day.
Manager Terada Fisher of Kayak Wailua said tours are canceled when gauges show water flow exceeding 250 cubic feet per second.
The state Division of State Parks is investigating the incident.
Fisher said Abrahim had been attending a conference at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort &Spa.
