Scuba diver dies in accident off South Point

An Ocean View man died after getting into distress while scuba diving Tuesday afternoon at South Point, Hawaii County police said.

Police said they are investigating it as a public accident, and said it appears to be a drowning.

Police identified the victim as Gordon Kimo Lopes, 49, of Ocean View.

Kau patrol officers responded to a call at 7:15 p.m. A 47-year-old Ocean View man told police he had been on shore while a friend was scuba diving in front of the lighthouse at South Point. The diver entered the water at about 6:45 p.m. About a half-hour later, his friend heard him yelling for help and called 911.

Rough seas prevented the first rescue personnel from entering the water, police said. A rescue boat from Keauhou arrived about 11 p.m. and firefighters used it to retrieve Lopes’ body. Lopes was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:59 a.m. Wednesday.

Distress beacon guides rescuers to man in water

Coast Guard personnel used a helicopter Tuesday to locate and rescue an 18-year-old man who issued a distress signal while kayaking from Maui to Lanai.

The Coast Guard received a distress signal about 6 p.m. from a personal locator beacon carried by one of two men on the kayak trip.The Coast Guard sent to Manele Bay a boat from Maui and a helicopter from Barbers Point.

Crew members aboard the Dolphin sighted one of the men in the water near his overturned kayak.The man, who was not injured, was brought aboard the helicopter and flown to Kahului. The other kayaker was found safely ashore at Manele Bay.