Hawai’i Island police are investigating a possible drowning that occurred in the Puna district yesterday morning.
Officers arrived at Kehena Beach after receiving a report of a swimmer in distress. Beach bystanders extracted the swimmer from the ocean and began CPR until personnel from the Hawaiʻi County Fire Department arrived and continued life saving measures. Attempts to resuscitate the victim, who has been identified as 72 year-old Gabriel DeSilva of Pahoa, were unsuccessful. He was transported to Hilo Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.