Hawai’i Island police are investigating a possible drowning that occurred in the Puna district.

On Sunday, August 21, 2022, at approximately 6:00 a.m., officers responded to a report of a swimmer in distress at Kehena Beach. Beach bystanders extracted the swimmer from the ocean and began CPR until personnel from the Hawaii Fire Department arrived and continued life saving measures. However, attempts to resuscitate the victim at the scene were unsuccessful.

The 72-year-old unresponsive man is identified as Gabriel DeSilva of Pahoa, who was transported to the Hilo Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead at 8:10 a.m.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.