Hawai’i Island police are investigating a drowning incident involving a 31-year old male visitor off the shore of La’aloa Beach Park in Kailua-Kona.

Yesterday morning, Kona patrol officers responded to a call for a welfare check on the male after his father called regarding concerns for the safety and whereabouts of his son.

Officers conducted checks in the area of La’aloa Beach Park and while near the south bay shoreline, they located a male matching the description provided by his father. Upon contacting the male party and attempting to identify him, he jumped into the ocean and swam away from shore.

The Hawai’i County Fire Department (HFD) was contacted for rescue and medical assistance. While HFD was en-route, the male party continued swimming farther off-shore and was observed going under water and not re-surfacing.  HFD and Ocean Safety Life Guards arrived on scene and conducted a search for the male who was later found unresponsive and lifeless. The identity of the victim is being withheld, pending positive identification from a family member

The Area II Criminal Investigations Section is continuing the investigation.

Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this incident to contact Detective Cacique Melendez at (808) 326-4646 or via e-mail at Cacique.melendez@Hawaiicounty.gov.