HONOLULU — A Hawaii couple celebrating an anniversary was apparently swept out to sea while hiking near the popular snorkeling spot Hanauma Bay.
HONOLULU — A Hawaii couple celebrating an anniversary was apparently swept out to sea while hiking near the popular snorkeling spot Hanauma Bay.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports Noemi Alcotas and Jojo Acosta, both 34, were hit by a large wave.
Hikers found the couple’s bags early Friday afternoon near an attraction called Rock Bridge, a prohibited area that’s considered dangerous.
A few hours later, rescuers found Acosta’s body in the water, but Alcostas was not found. The Coast Guard provided drift pattern maps, and firefighters searched several miles of coastline from south of Hanauma Bay to Sandy Beach Park, but found no sign of her. The Coast Guard also helped in the search for Alcotas, but suspended their efforts Sunday night.
About 20 firefighters continued looking for Alcotas by air, land and sea Monday, using local knowledge of the coastline, said Honolulu Fire Department Spokesman David Jenkins.
“She’s a nice girl,” said Nida Acosta, the wife of Acosta’s uncle. “I’m happy when he met her and somebody was taking care of him. They loved each other…We were so happy.”
The couple had been classmates at Farrington High School, Nida Acosta said.
They had recently started dating and were heading out on a camping trip when the apparent accident happened, said Acosta’s neighbor, Dante Magallanes. Acosta, an Army veteran, had served two tours in Iraq, and often helped neighbors and family by cleaning and fixing things, Magallanes said.
“He’s a good guy,” Magallanes said.