HONOLULU – A Coast Guard rescue boatcrew partnered with Navy Salvage units to medically evacuate a diver Tuesday, two miles offshore of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Firing Range at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center personnel received a distress call via VHF-FM channel 16 from the dive vessel Wailoa concerning an unresponsive 41-year-old male who had been conducting commercial dive operations for Hukilau Foods Inc.
The USNS Salvor and Mobile Diving Salvage Unit One also responded to the distress call and were on scene in approximately five minutes. Navy personnel immediately transferred the diver aboard the Salvor and into a hyperbaric chamber. Coast Guard Station Honolulu rescue crews launched a 45-foot Response Boat–Medium to assist.
Once the RB-M arrived on scene, a Navy medical officer determined the diver needed to be medically evacuated to emergency medical services. The diver was transported aboard the RB-M while the Navy medical officer continued to administer medical services.
The diver was transferred to EMS personnel at the pier and transported to Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea where he was subsequently declared deceased.
Coast Guard Sector investigators are conducting an investigation into the incident.
