Police: Body found floating in Hilo Harbor

A man’s body was found floating in Hilo Harbor this morning, according to police.

The man has been identified as a 73-year-old Dennis William Swain of Hilo.

Shortly after 8 a.m., Hilo patrol officers and Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded to a report of a body floating face-down at the edge of the Hilo Pier, located at 100 Kuhio St.

Responding personnel located the lifeless body and pulled it from the water to the deck of the pier.

Swain was transported to the Hilo Medical Center and officially pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m.

Police Capt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division said he thinks Swain’s body was in the water “probably less than 24 hours.”

“There were some injuries but nothing indicative of foul play,” he said.

Amon-Wilkins also said he doesn’t think Swain, who was known to be a fisherman. entered the water where his body was found.

“We’re still looking into it but I think he was possibly fishing somewhere else in the Hilo Bay area and potentially went into the water there,” he said.

An autopsy has been scheduled for early next week to determine the exact cause of death. The cases has been classified as a coroner’s inquest.

Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this case to call the police department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Detective Kimo Keliipaakaua of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2375 or email kimo.keliipaakaua@hawaiicounty.gov.