KAILUA-KONA — The Coast Guard and Hawaii County Fire Department searched Thursday for a diver who went missing off Puako Wednesday evening.
KAILUA-KONA — The Coast Guard and Hawaii County Fire Department searched Thursday for a diver who went missing off Puako Wednesday evening.
Diana Wolking, 69, was last seen wearing a black rash guard, black and white bikini bottom with a scuba tank and black fins. Watchstanders at Sector Honolulu received a call at 7:20 p.m. from beachgoers who saw Wolking enter the water just before sunset. After more than an hour, they noticed her truck still parked at the beach and could not find any sign of her in the water or near the beach.
Crews in a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a C-130 Hercules crew from Air Station Barbers Point, and the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake are involved in the search.
The Hawaii Fire Department used the rescue boat and helicopters in the search. They performed a snorkel search along the shore in the morning and moved to a scuba search.
The crews were working in 16 mph winds and 3-foot seas with good visibility, the Coast Guard reported. The crews have completed 14 sorties, searched a total of 295 square miles and deployed two self-locating datum marker buoys as of press time.
An urgent marine information broadcast has been issued alerting mariners in the area to keep a lookout and report any sightings to the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center.
Anyone with information that may help locate Wolking is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at 842-2600.