Kala‘iokealaula Ashley Kanekoa: Woman found dead after she fell off a cliff in Hawaii and was swept away

HONOLULU, HAWAII: A body of a woman was found on early Sunday, February 18, after she fell off a cliff in Hawaii and was swept away as her boyfriend tried his best to help her. According to the Hawaii Police Department, the victim was identified as Kala‘iokealaula Ashley Nicole Reyes Kanekoa, 29.

Police said in a Facebook post that authorities responded after Kanekoa fell from the shoreline cliffs near Paradise Drive and Beach Road in Kea‘au just before 2 am local time. "A 31-year-old Kea‘au man who was with the woman attempted to rescue her by throwing out a flotation device, however was unsuccessful as the woman was pulled out by the ocean’s currents," police added.

The victim and her boyfriend was watching waves together before the tragic incident occurred

The man, identified by Hawaii News Now as Kanekoa's boyfriend Dylan Gapp, said the horrific incident unfolded while watching they were watching waves together on a cliff near Hawaiian Paradise Park. 

Although police and firefighters responded within seven minutes of the 911 call, her boyfriend claimed that when they arrived, they didn't have the proper tools to rescue her, and that he had no choice but to sit there listening to her "suffer and scream for help."

Why did the authorities fail to rescue Kala‘iokealaula Ashley Kanekoa:?

Authorities told the outlet that the fire truck was not required to carry ocean rescue equipment and that at the time of their arrival, it was too dangerous and dark for them to immediately go into the water.

Gapp claimed that after an hour went by and the rescue boat and helicopter still hadn't arrived, he swam out to where his girlfriend was clinging to a raft, as per the outlet. However, by the time he returned, he said first responders could no longer see her.

Ultimately, police said that the fire department and Coast Guard searched throughout the morning, and at 8 am, they found her body four miles down shore near Honolulu Landing in Pāhoa. "She was transported to the Hilo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 10:58 am," police said in their statement.

Following an autopsy on Tuesday, February 20, her cause of death was ruled to be accidental drowning. Police have said foul play is not suspected. While speaking with Hawaii News Now, Gapp said, "She loved her kids more than anything" and "was a loving, caring person."

Police are asking anyone who may have information relative to this case to call the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Detective Paul Mangus of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2383 or email Paul.Mangus@hawaiicounty.gov.