Man injured when hit by boat off North Kohala

By Star-Advertiser Staff
POSTED: 05:31 a.m. HST, Feb 22, 2011

A man in his 40s was seriously injured when a boat’s propeller cut him in waters between Mahukona and Kapaa Park, the Hawaii County Fire Department said.

The man was swimming with a friend about 11 a.m. Monday when a boat hit him and knocked him unconscious, the fire department said.

People in the boat pulled the injured man aboard and headed back to Mahukona Pier. The man was barely breathing, with lacerations from the boat’s propeller to his head, shouders and arms, the fire department said.

The fire department got the call at 11:10 a.m. A department helicopter flew the swimmer to North Hawaii Hospital.

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Update: Swimmer dies after being hit by boat's propellers
Posted: Feb 21, 2011 9:37 PM Updated: Feb 22, 2011 8:12 PM

BIG ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) - A 53-year old Big Island man died Monday after he was struck by a boat's propellers at about 11 a.m. Monday in the water between Mahukona and Kappa park in the North Kohala area on the Big Island.

The victim has been identified. He suffered multiple lacerations to head and arms when the boat hit him about 300 yards offshore, knocking him unconscious.

People on the boat pulled victim from the water took him to Mahukona pier. He was then flown to North Hawaii Hospital by helicopter and pronounced dead at 3 p.m.

An autopsy has been requested to determine the exact cause of death. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, which has jurisdiction, will continue the investigation.
HAWI                          