In the legend of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele, Hiʻiaka kills a monstrous moʻo (lizard/dragon) named Mokoliʻi. Mokoliʻi island is its tail. As the Honolulu Star Advertiser reports, Mokoliʻi took the lives to two Schofield Barracks soldiers:
2 soldiers drown off Kualoa
A group hits trouble on a return from Chinaman’s Hat
By Gordon Y.K. Pang and Rob ShikinaPOSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 03, 2011
Two Schofield Barracks soldiers drowned and another soldier was injured Friday afternoon while trying to swim back to Kualoa Regional Park from Mokolii Island.
A group of four apparently walked out to the island, also known as Chinaman’s Hat, during low tide shortly before 1 p.m., said Lt. John Vines of the Honolulu Police Department’s Windward Patrol District. The four were stationed at Schofield Barracks, he said.
“Apparently on their return, when the tide was high, they got caught in higher waters and struggled,” Vines said.
Witnesses said kayakers heard the commotion and helped bring a man, 27, and a woman, 29, out of the water and onto shore where bystanders helped perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The two were then taken to Castle Medical Center, where the man died.
The woman was reported in serious condition, an official with the city Department of Emergency Services said.
Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig said a search for a second man was conducted by firefighters, ocean safety and Coast Guard personnel.
The man, 26, was located by ocean safety personnel about 200 yards from shore. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A third man, 26, made it to shore without serious injuries. He would not speak to reporters.
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