(AP) — Hawaiʻi officials are looking for a missing person who may have encountered a shark off Maui, authorities said Thursday.

A snorkeler called 911 to report the incident, saying he saw a shark swim by repeatedly and that he returned to shore after looking for his wife, said Dan Dennison, a spokesperson for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Dennison said he’s unable to say whether the person they are looking for is the snorkeler’s wife.

“In keeping with our standard shark communications protocols, we cannot tell you anything at this time about possible victims, their ages, genders or hometowns. Once we have that information, we will share it with the media,” Dennison said at a news conference.

The possible shark encounter was reported to have occurred about 50 yards (45 meters) from shore at Keawakapu Point in South Maui.

Maui County firefighters are searching in the ocean with a rescue boat and personal water craft. A Maui Fire Department helicopter and the U.S. Coast Guard are conducting an aerial search. They plan to continue looking until nightfall, then reassess what to do on Friday, Dennison said.

Officials have put up shark warning signs, effectively closing off entry to the ocean along the shoreline from Mana Kai condominiums to the north end of Wailea beach. The area is popular with tourists and residents.

Dennison said there were some witnesses on the beach, but he didn’t have any information about what they may have seen or what they reported to authorities.

The department said officials would release additional details as they become available.

 

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