Accidents kill visitors at unusually high rate

Tourism officials and first responders are redoubling their efforts to raise visitor awareness about the potential perils of Hawaii’s natural attractions after at least 11 accidental deaths of tourists this year.

The deaths comprise five drownings, four traffic fatalities and two falls from cliffs.

This year’s pace is relatively high in a state that usually sees about 60 to 70 accidental deaths among nonresidents over a typical 12-month period.

The high number of deaths in the first five weeks of 2013 follows an uptick in visitor fatalities in recent years, something that officials say is likely due to a host of factors, from tourists searching out more remote areas to explore to visitors overestimating their ability to navigate foreign trails or tackle unfamiliar ocean currents.

The increase also comes as visitor arrivals are up: In 2012, Hawaii saw just under 8 million visitors, up 9.6 percent from the 7.3 million who came in 2011.

Jessica Lani Rich, president and executive director of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, said visitors often take risks while on vacation that they wouldn’t consider taking elsewhere.

"They think that in paradise nothing can happen to them," said Rich, whose nonprofit helps tourists who have been injured, are the victims of crimes or who have had a member of their party die. "They do things (here) that they would never in a million years do back home."

She said the majority of the accidental visitor fatalities her agency has encountered are dubbed "daredevil deaths" —those of people who participate in risky outdoor activities, from sky diving to surfing big waves.

She also said that guidebooks and online reviews are increasingly pointing visitors to "secret spots," such as hikes that are physically demanding and tough to get to or secluded beaches that don’t have lifeguards. And visitors, she said, often tend to overestimate their skill, strength or overall health when engaging in activities outdoors.

"People need to be aware," she said. "Safety is a top concern."

Later this year, the Visitor Aloha Society and Hawaii Tourism Authority plan to release an online brochure with tips for traveling safely in the islands. The brochure will be available in multiple languages and will be distributed to marketing partners, hotels and other visitor industry stakeholders.

Mike McCartney, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, said visitors should familiarize themselves with the areas they plan to go and "heed all safety warning signs."

"We encourage people to educate themselves about our destination to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit," McCartney said in a statement.

At Manoa Falls on Wednesday, several visitors said they did consider safety before heading out, but that it is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security when visiting beautiful natural attractions.

"It’s easy to forget it when you think you’re in paradise," said Rosie Nickels, 63, of Indianapolis.

While no members of her party had been injured on their vacation, one was startled by a rogue wave that almost knocked her over; the same person also slipped and fell while hiking the muddy Manoa Falls trail Wednesday.

Tim Donlan, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was walking to the Manoa trail head with his girlfriend Wednesday, and said the two took proper precautions and did their research before heading out.

The biggest precaution, he said, was knowing their limits.

The five drownings on Kauai so far this year compare with four in all of 2012.

Four of the Kauai drownings this year have been in the ocean. Last year, there were two ocean drownings.

And in 2011, Kauai had seven ocean drownings, five of which involved visitors, according to Department of Health statistics.

Altogether in 2011, the DOH figures show, 34 visitors drowned in the ocean statewide (compared with 31 residents).

In 2010, 24 tourists died in the islands after getting into trouble in the sea.

Meanwhile, on Oahu last year, there were 23 accidental visitor deaths, up from 13 in 2011 and 14 in 2010, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.

The deaths last year included two car accident fatalities, eight falls and 13 drownings.

In the most recent drowning on Kauai, a 51-year-old visitor was found face down Tuesday and unresponsive after jumping from a platform into the shallow water of Wainiha River.

Authorities identified the man Wednesday as Mark McLean of Sechelt, British Columbia.

Kauai Fire Department Chief Robert Westerman said that, before heading out for the day, tourists need to understand the dangers of Hawaii’s natural wonders.

He also said he is strongly encouraging visitors to swim only at beaches with lifeguards. (All of the ocean drownings on Kauai this year occurred at beaches without lifeguards.)

Westerman said that a number of the tourists who have drowned in 2013 have been older, and probably overestimated their swimming abilities.

The oldest, a visitor from Colorado, was 71. She drowned off Poipu Beach on Jan. 30.

The ocean, he said, "is not a swimming pool."

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