California man dies in Hawaii after he’s found face-down in snorkeling mask, cops say

A man vacationing in Hawaii died after he was found face-down in a snorkeling mask, police told news outlets.

James Pirkle Jr., an 81-year-old from California, died in an apparent drowning off Kaua’i on Monday, Aug. 29, county officials told Hawaii News Now. Rescuers found Pirkle unresponsive about 100 yards from shore.

He was face-down and wearing a snorkeling mask, KITV4 reported. Crews pulled him to shore and started to give him CPR.

Medics rushed to help Pirkle, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, according to Kaua’i Now News. He was pronounced dead by a medical professional.

An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death, officials told KITV4. Foul play is not suspected.

The death is the second among tourists in the area in the past month. On Aug. 6, a bodyboarder from Arizona died after he was swept into deeper water, McClatchy News reported.

Officials found him face-down in the water and unresponsive. Rescuers rushed to perform CPR, but he later died in a hospital.

This story was originally published September 1, 2022 at 11:10 AM with the headline "California man dies in Hawaii after he’s found face-down in snorkeling mask, cops say."