UPDATE: as of 8 p.m. Feb. 6A 51-year-old Sechelt man who drowned Feb. 5 on Hawaii's northernmost island of Kauai has been identified as Mark McLean.
The drowning occurred in the Wainiha River, on Kauai's north shore, officials said late Wednesday, correcting an earlier report that said McLean had died in the ocean.
According to a preliminary investigation, McLean was found face down and unresponsive after jumping from a platform into the shallow water below, the County of Kauai said in a news release. A family member contacted 911 at 4:26 p.m. and pulled the man to shore. Bystanders then began performing CPR until firefighters arrived and took over, but efforts to resuscitate McLean were unsuccessful.
McLean was pronounced dead at hospital.
The release said a grief counseling service was assisting the family.
County officials said McLean's death was the fifth drowning to occur this year on the island and the third drowning in less than a week.
In a statement, the county's mayor, Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr., expressed condolences to the families of all five drowning victims.
Our community remains steadfast in our commitment to keeping our residents and visitors safe while enjoying all of what Kauai has to offer, Carvalho said. We will continue to work with our first responders, visitor industry partners, and all members of our community to educate the public on the potential hazards in nature and how to avoid them.
Officials said four people drowned on Kauai last year two in the ocean and two in fresh water. Twelve people drowned on the island in 2011, according to the Kauai newspaper The Garden Island.
