Witnesses told KHON2 that the man had been snorkeling with his wife before becoming unresponsive and being pulled to shore. Bystanders then performed CPR on the man while his wife watched. Officials confirmed the man died on Thursday, according to KHON2. 

To make matters worse, while the woman was watching her husband receive CPR, her backpack containing her driver’s license and rental car keys was stolen from the beach. The couple’s rental car was also stolen. 

“As if the tragedy itself wasn’t difficult enough, now she has to go through the logistics of — because she can’t travel back to home without an ID — she has to go through the due process at the airport to verify. It’s a mess on top of everything,” a witness told KHON2. 

Police are now investigating the case as a theft and an auto theft.

A GoFundMe page for the couple identify the pair as Steven and Brittany Phan.

“We are all shocked, in disbelief, and heartbroken at the loss of such a great man as Steven. Steven always found a way to be a part of everyone’s lives, no matter the distance. Steven was a true friend and an amazing husband, Steven will be incredibly missed by all,” the fundraiser’s description states.

Honolulu City Councilmember Andrea Tupola, whose district includes the beach where the incident took place, told KHON2 that the city will hire a lifeguard to oversee the area in September. 

Ocean currents at Electric Beach are often dangerous. In 2020, two women were rescued by lifeguards after being sucked into the ocean while snorkeling in the area.