Illinois man victim of apparent drowning off South Kohala

An Illinois man apparently drowned while snorkeling Friday in waters off South Kohala, the third apparent drowning in the area this month.

Around 1:36 p.m. Friday, Hawaii Police Department officers and Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded to the Waikoloa Beach Resort area to a report of an unresponsive snorkeler who had been assisted to shore.

With the assistance of a bystander, CPR was performed on the man prior to him being transported to the Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea. He was pronounced dead at 7:18 p.m.

The victim was identified Monday as George Diec, a 73-year-old visitor from Illinois.

Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation relative to this incident and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

On June 13, 52-year-old California resident Steve Reading apparently drowned while snorkeling in Anaehoomalu Bay within Waikoloa Beach Resort. Reading was part of a chartered tour that was located a few hundred feet from the Anaehoomalu Bay shoreline when the tour crew noticed he appeared to be in distress. He was taken to Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:52 p.m.

Five days earlier, on June 8, 68-year-old Harry Wakefield, of Alabama, was found unresponsive in waters near the “Pentagon” mooring in Anaehoomalu Bay. Medics performed CPR, however, he was pronounced dead about an hour later at North Hawaii Community Hospital.