74-year-old Kīlauea man dies after entering waters at North Shore beach during high surf advisory

A 74-year-old Kīlauea man is dead after entering waters at a North Shore beach Monday morning while a high surf advisory — with large breaking waves of up to 22 feet and strong currents expected — remained in effect for the area.

Kaua‘i first responders were dispatched at about 7:30 a.m. April 7 to Kalihiwai Beach outside Kalihiwai after receiving a report of an unresponsive swimmer.

He was already pulled out of the water by the time first responders arrived at the beach, and bystanders were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, on the man — who was later identified as Peter Koorenhof.

Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau and American Medical Response personnel arrived shortly after and took over advanced life-saving efforts.

Koorenhof was transported to Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapaʻa, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy is pending to determine Koorenhof’s exact cause of death.

Foul play is not suspected.

Ocean conditions were making swimming as well as other recreational activities in the water and along the shorelines on north and east shores dangerous at the time Koorenhof entered the water.

A large north swell began moving through the state the night of April 5.

Kaua‘i Fire Department warned the public that afternoon in a notification after a high surf warning was issued for north and east shores of the island — eventually downgraded Monday to an advisory that was in effect through early Tuesday morning — that entering the water in those areas “could cause serious injury or death.”

Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau officials also the morning of April 6 advised no swimming or recreational water activities along all North Shore areas because high surf conditions and powerful current activity were making ocean activities hazardous.

While the downgraded high surf advisory was canceled at 3:18 a.m. today (April 8) as the north swell continues to decline and surf heights have fallen just below advisory thresholds, safety officials still advise against swimming and other ocean activities along north and east shores.

Strong rip currents and dangerous wave conditions in those areas persist.