Oct 15, 2024
HONOLULU (KHON2) -- A second person who was swept out to sea Monday morning on the North Shore has died. Honolulu police said the woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition but later died. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The incident happened Monday morning at Ke Iki beach. There is no lifeguard tower there, but lifeguards do patrol the area. Ocean safety officials said there were sign warnings of the strong current and dangerous shore break. Family members said 72-year old Susie Jett from Oklahoma City was one of the victims who died after being pulled into the ocean on the North Shore. Her daughter, 41-year old Laura Rich, was also pulled in. She's still in the hospital. "They're in paradise, they're on this beautiful Hawaiian beach, it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth and all of sudden, boom, within an instant, this giant wave came over and their loved one is gone," said Jessica Lani Rich, Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii President & CEO. VASH is helping the victim's families, including the partner of the other victim, a 63-year old man from northern California. "The joy turns to pain and the grief is so heavy," said Rich. "One of them, one of the family members said to me, I feel like I only have half of a heart now, half of me is gone." Lifeguards were patrolling the area, but there is no tower there. Hawaii Health Department retesting Richardson Ocean Center for water quality "It's a real dynamic area the sand gets washed away during the winter time and it's difficult to find a place to actually put a tower," said Lt. John Hoogsteden, Honolulu Ocean Safety. "It's just a bad situation." "(The victim's family) would like to thank the Honolulu Police Department, the EMS, the lifeguards who were on the beach," said Rich. "And some of the people total strangers, they said, came out to help" In a statement, Ocean Safety Acting Director Kurt Lager said they are looking at adding a tower at Ke Iki, as well as other areas on the North Shore, that have a high rate of incidents. Lifeguards say since 2020, they've pulled 6 unresponsive people from the water there and had four near-drownings. And that's part of the issue. Visitors come from all over the world, and may not be aware of the potential dangers of an area or the ocean in general. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You "I think the more visitor education that we can get out, the less accidents we're gonna have and the less tragedies we're gonna have as well," said Rich.
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