Lihue man dies after being found unresponsive off Kauai

A 52-year-old Lihue man died Sunday after he was found unresponsive by his dive instructors in the waters off Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor Friday morning.

Kelly Vea was part of a diving class when he was pulled from the ocean before 8:50 a.m., according to a Kauai Police Department preliminary report.

Personnel with the Koloa fire station, Ocean Safety Bureau, American Medical Response, the police department, and a bystander all responded to the incident. The man was taken to Wilcox Medical Center but later flown to Oahu, where he died Sunday.

An autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of death.

Volunteers with Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, is assisting the victim’s family, officials said.