Hawaii Teen Dies While Freediving Near Popular Tourist Spot

An 18-year-old named Joven Young died Tuesday in an apparent freediving accident near Captain Cook, a historic area in South Kona on Hawaii Island. Young was diving with a friend off Pebble Beach when his friend lost sight of him.

The friend alerted a nearby boat, which then contacted the U.S. Coast Guard. Kona Patrol officers responded to the report around 1:00 PM, initiating a search that included Hawai‘i Fire Department rescue personnel. They located Young in the water approximately three hours later.

Young was transported to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:10 PM. Police stated that foul play is not suspected and that a coroner's inquest investigation has been initiated. An autopsy has been requested to determine the exact cause of death.

According to Keri Blas, the mother of Young's girlfriend, Young moved to Kona from Oahu in ninth grade. He attended Konawaena High School, where he played basketball for four years. Blas described Young as someone who loved diving, fishing, surfing, and exploring waterfalls. She also mentioned that Young had dedicated his life to Jesus and was preparing to join the Coast Guard in January.

Matthew Clark, a former basketball teammate, recalled Young as a popular player and one of his first friends on the island. He remembered Young as the team's best three-point shooter, emphasizing his love for God, family, girlfriend, and teammates. Coach Donald Awa described Young as a "good kid" and called the incident a "terrible accident."

An online fundraising page has been established to support Young's family, raising over $20,000. Young is survived by his parents, Tracy and Jason Young, his sister Makenna, his brother Jordy, and his girlfriend of four years. Freedivers, unlike scuba divers, do not use breathing tanks, allowing for greater underwater mobility but limiting their dive times.