HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
KONA PATROL DIVISION
OFFICER BELINDA L. KAHIWA
PHONE: 326-4646
JULY 26, 2001
G-75213
MEDIA RELEASE
Police have identified an 18-year-old male who apparently drowned Tuesday (July 24, 2001) in waters north of Kailua Bay in Kona.
The victim was identified as Loren Maas, of Ventura, California. His name had been withheld pending notification of next of kin.
At about 5:48 p.m. Tuesday, Kona officers were summoned to Kailua Pier. On arrival, the officers found that fire rescue personnel had retrieved the victim, who lay motionless on the ocean bottom, from about 70 feet of water.
The victim apparently went free diving with a friend, another 18-year-old male, off the point just north of Kailua Bay. About 100 yards offshore, the divers, who were described as experienced, took turns diving down and then resurfacing.
After nearly an hour of diving, Maas failed to surface from one of his dives. His friend dived to look for him and found him unresponsive in about 35 feet of water. The friend then resurfaced and called for help from a passing pleasure craft. He also summoned another zodiac and fire rescue for help.
It was estimated that by the time Fire Rescue brought the victim to the surface and started administering cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, he had been submerged under water for more than 20 minutes.
Fire Rescue took the victim to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition until he died the following day. He was pronounced dead at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Police have classified the incident as a public accident.
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