PUAKO, Hawaii: A California woman apparently drowned Thursday in waters off Puako on the South Kohala coast.
Police identified the woman as 70-year-old Eileen Melville of Midvalley, California.
The incident happened near Beach 69 – also known as Wailea Beach – around noon. Bystanders were able to pull Melville from the water and attempted CPR until the Fire Department arrived. Melville was taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at about an hour later.
Police have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
