New York Woman Dies in Snorkeling Incident

Therese Walz, 60, of Seaford, New York, died after snorkeling in waters Friday evening in Princeville.

According to a preliminary report, a call was made to the Kauaʿi Police Department’s Dispatch Center around 5:55 p.m. that indicated an unresponsive woman had been pulled from the water onto Pali Ke Kua Beach, also known as Hideaways.

Ocean Safety Bureau jet ski personnel arrived first on scene as bystanders were attempting to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the victim. Lifeguards subsequently began administering high performance CPR and continued to do so until Kauaʿi Fire Department personnel arrived.

Walz was then taken on backboard up the designated trail to a mule utility, vehicle which took her the remaining distance up the hill where medics were waiting to transport her to Wilcox Medical Center.

She regained a pulse and was in critical condition overnight but was pronounced dead on Saturday morning. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.

According to a report, Walz was wearing a traditional snorkel mask and fins at the time of the incident.

Volunteers with Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, were contacted to offer support to the woman’s family.