Big Island police have opened a coroner’s inquest case in connection with a man found floating in Anaeho’omalu Bay in South Kohala on Thursday (December 3).

The victim, 62-year-old John Linde of Friday Harbor, Washington, had been snorkeling with a friend until the friend returned to shore for about 20 minutes sometime between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Occupants of a charter snorkeling boat found Linde floating in the water 75 yards off shore.

They took him to shore and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation until Fire/rescue personnel arrived and took him to North Hawaii Community Hospital. There, Linde was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m.