Washington couple apparently drowns in Maui waters

Ilya and Sophia Tsaruk were vacationing on Maui from Washington state when they apparently drowned Saturday while swimming and possibly snorkeling in waters off the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve in the southwest corner of Maui.

The Kovalevich and Tsaruk families are grieving not just for the young couple, but for their unborn child, according to a fundraiser for the couple.

“Sophia was pregnant with a baby girl, and they leave behind their 18-month-old baby, Logan, who was staying with his aunt and uncle at the time,” says the GoFundMe page written by organizer Andrey Tupikov.

The Maui Fire Department and Ocean Safety personnel responded to “a report of swimmers/snorkelers in distress” on the north side of the area reserve, according to a Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety news release.

Fire rescue personnel aboard MFD’s Air 1 responded to the 12:02 p.m. alarm, along with firefighters from two companies, Ocean Safety with a rescue watercraft and a battalion chief.

Ocean Safety personnel, using JetSki 14, found and recovered the unresponsive 26-year-old woman from waters reported to be approximately 100 to 150 yards offshore.

Arriving firefighters took over care of the woman, brought her to shore and performed CPR, while Ocean Safety, using JetSki 14, headed back out to search for the man who was reported to have been with her.

The 25-year-old man was found on the ocean floor and brought to shore, where fire personnel performed CPR on him as well, the department said.

Their resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and both people were pronounced dead by Emergency Medical Services, the department said.

Conditions were mostly calm with minimal surf, the department reported.

Department spokesman Chris Stankil added that the area is not known for strong currents pulling away from the shoreline (rip currents).

The natural area reserve is south of Makena, extending from Ahihi Bay in the north to LaPerouse Bay in the south, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s website shows.

The beaches in the natural area reserve are unguarded. The nearest lifeguard towers are in Makena State Beach Park, according to the Maui County website.

Stankil said in a text that he did not have information on whether the couple was snorkeling and whether they were part of a commercial excursion or on their own. Stankil said, given their location (100 to 150 yards offshore) and in an area not known for rip currents, he would guess they were snorkeling.

He said the incident report makes no mention of any equipment they had on when Ocean Safety officers picked them up.

“Yesterday, we lost a dear sister and brother, daughter and son, and beautiful niece, but we know that heaven received and gained the three of them with open arms,” reads the GoFundMe page, which was created Sunday.

“Ilya and Sophia both loved the Lord and were always serving in the church and serving people around them,” it says. “Sophia had the voice of an angel, and together with Ilya, they sang in a worship group in their church.”

The couple’s family members ask for support and prayers to carry them through, and any contributions will go toward funeral expenses, as well as expenses to bring them home from Hawaii.

Tsaruk fundraiser

The GoFundMe page had surpassed its $100,000 goal as of Monday evening with more than 600 contributions. To make a donation, visit:

gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-ilya-and-sophia- funeral-support