Search for Swedish visitor, 20, swept into ocean at Waimea Bay is suspended
Honolulu Ocean Safety on Monday suspended its search efforts for Hanna Wanerskog, the missing 20-year-old visitor from Sweden who was swept into the ocean Friday night at Waimea Bay.
However, lifeguards will remain available as needed, according to a Honolulu Ocean Safety spokeswoman.
The U.S. Coast Guard had been looking for Wanerskog, who was reportedly with friends celebrating a birthday Friday when a wave overcame them.
The wave swept Wanerskog and two others into the ocean. Two made it back to shore, but Wanerskog did not. She was last seen treading water at about 6:35 p.m. Friday.
As of Monday morning, the Coast Guard scoured 485 square miles off of Waimea Bay since it began its search Friday night.
Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright said Saturday that waves were about 4 to 6 feet Friday night when Wanerskog went missing but quickly grew to 15 to 20 feet. Wind and “choppy surf” made search conditions challenging.
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Wanerskog was serving a three-month internship with Surfing the Nations, a nonprofit organization based in Wahiawa that focuses on humanitarian work.
The organization, in a news release sent Monday afternoon, said, “There is nothing that can be said or done that will ease the pain of this loss. We can only remember the beautiful life lost and the weeks of joy and laughter that brought so many together in such a short time.”
It described Wanerskog’s program as one that “focuses on character and leadership development through teachings, trainings, and community service. In her own words, Hanna came to Surfing the Nations to ‘grow as a person and get to know and help others.’”
Her work included helping at-risk youth in Hawaii and serving food to the homeless.
In a statement, Lt. Cmdr. Brock Blaisdell of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu said, “This incident is tragic and unfortunate. The decision to suspend an active search is always a difficult one.”
“It is a decision based on survivability factors and time always works against us. Our deepest condolences go out to the Wanerskog family and Hanna’s friends.”
Included in Surfing the Nation’s news release is a statement attributed to other interns, who said Wanerskog quit her job to spend time with her parents before coming to Hawaii. They said she “was fearless and added lots of energy to the group of interns. She came to Hawaii to serve the youth at risk and homeless expecting nothing in return. She wasn’t interested in impressing people. She was confident in who she was.”
She was described as being beloved within the Surfing the Nations community and having deep friendships with others in the organization.
Surfing the Nations said that the “Wanerskog family’s world is crumbling around them as they process the loss of their daughter,” and reported that Wanerskog’s family plans to visit Hawaii to join it in a memorial service with a time and date yet to be determined.
“(The Surfing the Nations interns) are going through a lot of trauma right now, and there are grief counselors on-site. She’s got family on the other side of the world who are grieving, too,” said Logan Jacobs, leadership team member with Surfing the Nations, on Saturday.
The Coast Guard deployed its MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, HC-130 Hercules plane and cutters William Hart and Ahi in its search for Wanerskog.
The Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, Hawaii island rescue helicopter, Hawaii police helicopter and ocean safety crews also assisted.
