Kauai marks third water-related fatality

LIHUE — A Kapaa resident was discovered unresponsive in the water off Lydgae Beach over the weekend.

Kauai police identified 30-year-old Matthew Tusitala from Kapaa as the unresponsive swimmer at Lydgate Beach on April 12. His death marks Kauai’s third water-related fatality of the year.

Investigators reported that on Saturday, at approximately 10:45 a.m., firefighters with the Kapaa Fire Station, along with the on-duty Battalion Chief, were dispatched to Lydgate Beach regarding a distressed swimmer in the water.

Witnesses noted that five individuals entered the water and attempted to assist Tusitala. The on-duty lifeguard with the Ocean Safety Bureau OSB Lydgate Tower also jumped into action and swam out and brought an unresponsive Tusitala to shore. Rescue personnel began high-performance Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation CPR and utilized a mechanical chest compression system, also known as a Lucas Device, before transferring Tusitala to the Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue.

The five Samaritans, exhausted and fatigued from struggling against the current, were brought to shore without injury by OSB personnel with the East Rove Ski Patrol.

Despite continued life-saving efforts by the American Medical Response medical team, Tusitala was pronounced dead at the hospital. No foul play is suspected in this case; however, an autopsy has been scheduled to determine Tusitala’s exact cause of death.