Department of Public Safety officers search for the drowning victim in the waters off Hidden Beach on Wednesday.
A 22-year-old man drowned while spearfishing off Hidden Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, the Department of Public Safety said in a media release.
DPS said police responded to a call regarding a drowning incident in Talofofo at around 8:55 a.m.
DPS said it launched its BSS Impact Boat from Smiling Cove at 9:18 a.m. and, with a U.S. Coast Guard HSC 25 helicopter, conducted a search.
In a separate media release, the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services said at about 8:55 a.m., it received a call from a male who requested an ambulance on Windward Road, Route 36 for a possible drowning.
Once on the scene, DFEMS and DPS personnel “were on the cliff line searching over the waters,” DFEMS said.
“Sadly at 10:51 a.m., the Boating Safety Unit reported that they had recovered the individual and would be heading to Smiling Cove Marine where they met with the family,” DFEMS added. From there, the body was brought to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.
DFEMS “expresses its sincerest condolences to the family of the individual.”
DPS said during a pattern search at around 10:33 a.m., the Coast Guard helicopter and BSS Impact located and recovered the unresponsive victim from the water.
According to the victim’s fishing companion, they arrived at Hidden Beach at around 8 a.m. and proceeded to spearfish.
The witness said after 30 to 45 minutes, he surfaced and noticed that the victim’s speargun was floating. The witness said his partner was nowhere in sight.
The witness then proceeded to dive into the water and saw the victim’s body sinking toward the seafloor. He said he attempted to pull the victim out of the water, but the waves were too strong.
He then proceeded to swim to shore where he called DPS.
