A New York woman died while snorkeling off the coast of the Hawaii island of Kaua'i on Friday.
Bystanders who pulled 60-year-old Therese Walz's unresponsive body from the water at Pali Ke Kua beach in Princeville called emergency services around 5:55pm, said local news outlet The Garden Island.
The Seaford woman regained a pulse, the outlet said, after Ocean Safety Bureau jet ski first responders and lifeguards administered CPR. Bystanders began resusciting her before help arrived, according to KHON2.
She was transported on a stretcher up the narrow trail accessing the beach, the outlet said, then transferred to an ATV to bring her up the steep hill to the road.
In critical condition, Walz was transported to Wilcox Medical Center 29 miles away. She was pronounced dead Saturday morning.
A total of 78 snorkeling-related deaths have taken place on the island of Kaua'i between 2010 and 2019
Walz was brought to Wilcox Medical Center in critical condition after her unresponsive body was recovered from the water of Pali Ke Kua 'Hideaways' beach 29 miles away. She was pronounced dead Saturday morning
An autopsy was ordered to determine Walz's cause of death; the Kaua'i Police Department said she was wearing a 'traditional snorkel mask and fins' at the time of the incident.
Walz's family was counseled by Life Bridges, a Hawaii-based grief counseling service, said The Garden Island local newspaper. Other details about Walz's vacation were unknown, and family members could not be reached for comment.
'Pali Ke Kua Beach, also called Hideaways, requires a short but steep 15-minute hike down to the ocean. The trail to the beach is quite steep in part,' said Hawaii-Guide.com of access to the site.
'If you are not comfortable traversing steep and slippery terrain, the beach access, although short, may be quite challenging for you.'
The secluded beach, which is 'tucked away into the cliffs' and does not have stationed lifeguards, is recommended for experienced snorkelers only.
Surrounded by coral reefs, the site can be treacherous - strong currents can sweep swimmers out into the Hanalei Bay.
Although it is unclear what caused Walz's death, rapid onset pulmonary edema, or 'ROPE,' is the most probably cause of snorkel-related drownings, according to Hawaii's Department of Health.
The secluded beach, which is 'tucked away into the cliffs' and does not have stationed lifeguards, is recommended for experienced snorkelers only
The condition is caused by reduced pressure in the lungs and an excess of carbon dioxide, which can both be brought on by the restricted breathing associated with scuba diving and snorkeling. Afflicted divers lose consciousness and strength, which can lead to drowning deaths.
'Snorkeling isn’t the low-risk activity everyone thinks it is,' wrote Carol Wilcox, project manager of Hawaii's Department of Health Snorkel Safety Study in a news release.
Between 2015 and 2019, according to the study, 59 percent of drowning deaths in Hawaii were snorkeling-related. Between 2010 and 2019, 197 visitors and 19 residents drowned while snorkeling - only 152 died while swimming during that period.
A total of 78 snorkeling-related deaths have taken place on the island of Kaua'i between 2010 and 2019.