HI Crews Search for CA Woman Swept Out to Sea

Kauai Police and the Coast Guard were assisting in efforts to find a woman pulled into the ocean by a wave while climbing rocks Wednesday.

Source The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Dec. 6, 2018

Kauai firefighters launched a search Wednesday for a 23-year-old California woman who was swept out to sea on Kauai’s North Shore.

The woman’s identity has not been released.

A county spokeswoman said the woman was trying to climb the rocks near an area known as Queen’s Bath in Princeville when a wave washed her out to sea. Bystanders reported seeing the woman unresponsive in the water.

Firefighters were sent to the scene shortly before noon Wednesday and were searching by helicopter and personal watercraft.

Kauai police and the Coast Guard also were assisting with the search.

Queen’s Bath is known to be dangerous, especially in the winter when surf is high, the spokeswoman said.

A high surf warning has been in effect for Kauai’s North Shore since Tuesday, and the Queen’s Bath trailhead has been closed since last week, the spokeswoman said.

The National Weather Service said surf at Hanalei, near Princeville, was 10 to 15 feet at about 11 a.m.

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