Search resumes for Swedish visitor, 20, last seen treading water at Waimea Bay
COURTESY U.S. COAST GUARD
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point searched for missing 20-year-old Swedish national Hanna Wanerskog on Saturday.
The search for a 20-year-old woman visiting from Sweden swept into the ocean Friday evening at Waimea Bay continued Sunday.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched its MH-65 Dolphin helicopter at dawn, along with its fast-response cutter, William Hart, according to a spokeswoman, and are working with Honolulu fire and police to search for Hanna Wanerskog.
Honolulu Ocean Safety personnel resumed their search two hours early, at 7 a.m., today, according to spokeswoman Shayne Enright. She said surf is smaller, and conditions are better today.
First responders said Wanerskog was standing on the Waimea shoreline on Oahu’s North Shore with two others early Friday evening when all three were overcome by a wave, and swept out into the ocean. Two made it back to the shore, but Wanerskog did not, and is still missing.
She was last seen treading water at 6:30 p.m. Friday, a fire official said.
On Saturday, search conditions were very challenging due to wind and choppy surf, according to Enright.
A high wind advisory has been issued for Oahu and Kauai, in effect from 3 p.m. today through 6 p.m. Monday. A high surf warning is also in effect through Tuesday.
Wanerskog had come to Hawaii as an intern for a nonprofit called Surfing the Nations, according to previous reports, and had been at Waimea Bay to celebrate a birthday.
