Police have recovered the body of a man who was last seen sitting on the edge of an 80-foot waterfall in Ninole on Saturday afternoon.
At approximately 8:44 p.m. Saturday evening, Hilo patrol officers initiated a missing persons investigation after a 44-year-old Hilo man reported that he hadn’t seen or heard from his employee since about 2:30 p.m.
The employee, a 35-year-old Hilo man, was last seen sitting on the edge of a waterfall, located on a property in the 35-1000 block of Highway 19 in Ninole.
The employee was intoxicated and ignored numerous warnings from the employer to get off the edge of the waterfall, police said.
As the employer completed the yard maintenance, he conducted another check for his employee at the waterfall and other areas of the property, but the employee couldn’t be located. The employer then drove to Hilo and filed the missing person’s report.
North Hilo patrol officers responded to the scene and conducted checks for the missing person, but he could not be found. Fire department rescue personnel were not deployed due to the safety concerns of a nighttime search, according to police.
On Sunday at 10:40 a.m., the employer and police detectives located the body of a deceased male on the riverbed below the waterfall, submerged in about 6 feet under water. Rescue personnel extricated the body, and it was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center for pronouncement of death.
Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Police will release the victim’s identity once positive identification has been made and the next-of-kin have been notified.
Police ask anyone who may have information regarding this incident to please call Detective Kimo Keli’ipa’akaua at (808) 961-2375, or email at kimo.keliipaakaua@hawaiicounty.gov.