A California woman died after floundering off the Hawaii coast, despite the efforts of bystanders to rescue and resuscitate her, police said.
Stacy Coon, a 59-year-old from Oroville in Butte County, went for a swim Sunday afternoon at Whittington Beach Park, an area of the Big Island known for its potentially dangerous water conditions.
Police responded around 2:40 p.m. to help a distressed Coon, who yelled for help after she found herself 40 yards away from the shoreline, where she was initially swimming. Coon was brought to shore by several bystanders who administered CPR after she remained unresponsive, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Coon was taken to Ka‘ū Hospital, about 10 miles away, where she was later pronounced dead. Her autopsy is still pending, police said, but the death is being investigated as a possible drowning.
The park, in the town of Nā‘ālehu in the Ka’u district, has warning signs along its shoreline, but lacks an on-duty lifeguard, according to local guides. Some locals said the park’s tide pools and fish ponds are safer for swimming.
“I was born and raised in Ka’u and [my family] would go there a lot when I was growing up. My dad would never let us swim there. So dangerous,” one local wrote on Facebook. “My patio looks over the parking lot and I have witnessed 22 bodies brought up out of that [beach]. People need to adhere to the warnings.”
Coon visited Ho‘okena Beach Park, an area known for its calm waters and suitable snorkeling conditions, two days before her death, according to SFGATE. It is unclear whether she was traveling alone.
