Florida International University Professor Stephen Leatherman explains what a rip current is, and how you can stay safe if you’re ever caught in one.
LIHUE, Hawaii – Authorities in Hawaii report investigating the third death in recent weeks related to rough surf conditions.
The Kauai Police Department said they responded to a report of an unresponsive swimmer at Kauapea Beach on Tuesday, who eventually succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
The victim was identified as a 62-year-old man visiting from New York.
Police said bystanders found the victim in the water and attempted to administer CPR before paramedics took over advanced resuscitation efforts.
The incident was described as being somewhat similar to an event that claimed the lives of two people and injured a third on nearby Oahu.
Authorities reported that on Oct. 15, three people were swept out into the ocean by rough surf before ultimately being rescued.
The victims were later identified as a 63-year-old man from Hollister, California and a 72-year-old woman from Oklahoma City.
TEEN RESCUED AFTER SPENDING HOURS CLINGING TO KAYAK OFF HAWAII
Rough surf plagues Hawaiian beaches
Ocean conditions aren’t expected to dramatically improve as the island chain is entering the period of its largest swells.
The combination of Pacific storm systems and the ocean terrain typically leads to the state’s large, iconic waves, which will last through late winter.
To take advantage of the water conditions, major surfing competitions usually take place on the islands during December, January and February.
Authorities remind less experienced swimmers that they shouldn’t venture into the ocean on beaches that aren’t monitored by lifeguards.
Coast Guard Sector Honolulu said it received a report on Wednesday evening of a missing 17-year-old kayaker off Waikiki. Rescuers said the teenager became separated from his high school paddling team and was not wearing a life jacket.
In all three recent cases, tourists had ventured onto beaches that were not being actively monitored by first responders.
“Always go to a beach with a lifeguard on duty. Talk to lifeguards before entering the water to get a better understanding of current beach conditions,” the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources advised.
2 DROWN ALONG HAWAII BEACH AFTER LARGE WAVE SWEEPS 3 OUT TO SEA
According to Hawaii’s health department, the islands have the highest drowning fatality rate of residents among the country’s warm-weather states.
Between 2013 and 2017, state data indicated that Hawaii experienced an average of nearly 40 deaths each year.
According to a NOAA database, 49 deaths have occurred in U.S. surf zones in 2024, without counting deaths that occurred in recent weeks in Hawaii. Nearly all of these incidents have been the result of rip currents in hot spots such as Puerto Rico, Florida and North Carolina.
Rip currents are often the number one weather-related killer in states that border waterways such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
Lucas Bocanegra, Miami Beach Ocean Rescue Lieutenant, urges swimmers to go to beaches with lifeguards, abide by warning signs and move parallel to the shore if caught.