Elderly Man Suspected Of Drowning Found Facedown In Water, Wearing Snorkel Mask In Hawaii

An elderly man from California has been pronounced dead after he was found unresponsive and floating in the water in Kauai, Hawaii.

The 81-year-old man, identified as James Pirkle Jr., is believed to have drowned while snorkeling Monday.

Hanalei firefighters received reports about an unresponsive man at around 12:40 p.m. and arrived at Anini Beach to find Pirkle facedown in the water, according to Hawaii News Now.

Pirkle was unresponsive and wearing a snorkel mask when first responders found him about 100 yards away from the shore. He was brought to dry land and given CPR.

The rescue crew was joined by medics, who also tried to resuscitate the elderly man but to no avail.

Pirkle was eventually pronounced dead. His family was offered support by grief counselors.

Officials said they did not suspect foul play in the incident. They also told KITV4 that they are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of the man's death.

"At approximately 12:40 p.m. on Monday, Hanalei firefighters and ocean safety officers were dispatched to 'Anini Beach for a man who was reported unresponsive in the water," the Kauai Police Department said in a news release. "Ocean safety officers with the Wanini Roving Patrol Unit arrived on scene and found the unresponsive man face down in the water wearing a snorkel mask, about 100 yards from shore. They brought him to shore and immediately began administering CPR."

"The man could not be revived. He was later pronounced dead by a medical professional," the police department continued.

Ocean drowning is reportedly the leading cause of death among visitors in Hawaii. The number of snorkeling-related fatalities among visitors has also seen a spike over the years.

Hawaii's Division of State Parks urges individuals to always snorkel with a friend and to stay within their companion's line of vision, according to SFGate.

The department also encourages everyone to familiarize themselves with the snorkeling area and the water conditions in addition to keeping an eye out for boats, other floating devices and other snorkelers and swimmers in the water. People should also be more careful when entering and exiting the water.