Missing Swimmer Found Clinging to Boogie Board 1.5 Miles Offshore After Hours-Long Search in Hawaii

A dramatic ocean rescue unfolded off Hawaii’s Big Island after a 32-year-old man went missing while swimming with a group near Hapuna Beach. Hours later, rescuers finally located him in the dark, clinging to a boogie board approximately 1.5 miles from shore.

According to authorities, the man was among five people who entered the water along the Kohala Coast on the evening of October 19. Strong winds and powerful ocean currents made it difficult for the group to return to land. Four people eventually managed to reach the beach safely after struggling in the water for around 30 minutes, but the man with the boogie board was unable to make it back.

Emergency crews were alerted at approximately 7:33 p.m. and quickly launched a large-scale search operation. The Hawaii County Fire Department, local police and the U.S. Coast Guard coordinated their efforts, deploying rescue personnel, a boat, a helicopter and a drone to search the surrounding waters and shoreline.

As the hours passed, rescuers continued searching for signs of the missing swimmer. Then, at approximately 11:05 p.m., members of the fire department’s rescue boat crew heard a faint whistling sound coming from the darkness. Following the sound, they spotted the man clinging to his boogie board far offshore.

The rescue team brought him aboard the boat and transported him to Kawaihae Harbor, where emergency medical personnel were waiting. He was subsequently taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital in stable condition.

Authorities have not publicly released the man’s identity. While the circumstances could have ended in tragedy, the coordinated efforts of multiple emergency agencies helped bring the search to a successful conclusion.

The incident serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly ocean conditions can become dangerous. Strong currents and offshore winds can carry swimmers far from land, even when they begin their swim relatively close to the beach.

Source: PEOPLE