3 Kauai tourists die
in 2 days after separate
ocean incidents

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By Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.com

LIHUE >> Three tourists were killed in separate ocean-related incidents on Wednesday and Thursday on Kauai's north shore, county officials said yesterday.

On Wednesday, Mark Fairchild, 29, of California, collapsed at Wailoii Beach Park after bodyboarding with his wife. Efforts to revive him failed. An autopsy is pending.

Also on Wednesday, Joanne Coots, 60, of South Dakota, collapsed after snorkeling at Tunnels Beach in Haena. Although she had returned to shore alive, an autopsy determined she had drowned.

On Thursday, a 51-year-old Oregon man apparently drowned while taking surfing lessons at Wailoii Beach Park. Witnesses said Joseph Weller was standing in waist-deep water and ducked under a wave. When the wave passed he was found floating in the water unconscious. An autopsy is pending.