HAWAII POLICE DEPARTMENT
SOUTH HILO DISTRICT
CAPTAIN LARRY WEBER
PHONE: 961-2214
JUNE 20, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

A recent graduate from the University of Hawaii at Hilo apparently drowned Tuesday while diving at Leleiwi Beach Park in Keaukaha.

The diver was identified as Paul Lam, 23, of Hilo.

Police responded to a call about the missing diver at 2:03 p.m. When they arrived, his parents, who were visiting from China, reported that their son had been free diving and taking pictures while they went out on an organized Scuba dive at 11 a.m. When the class ended a half-hour later, the parents didn’t see the son but assumed he was still diving.

Once he was reported missing, a Fire Department helicopter aided in the search. Body boarders found Lam floating face down at “Four-Mile Beach” around 2:40 p.m. The rescue helicopter air-lifted him out of the water and Fire Department personnel tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him. They took him to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:05 p.m.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Lam’s drowning was the second at Leleiwi Beach Park this week.