A diver vanished in the Pacific two years ago. His body may have been found in underwater cave, but authorities aren’t sure how his death actually occurred.
At the time of his disappearance, 23-year-old Anthony Joseph “Joey” Williams had been swimming alone in a remote spot on the Big Island of Hawaii. The diver’s body has not yet been found, but officials have confirmed that he drowned.
Williams’ family, who filed a missing person’s report, said his fiancé, who was with him at the time of the incident, last saw him swimming on August 8th at dusk.
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According to CBS News affiliate KHON of Hawaii, Williams was on what’s known as “Turtle Beach,” a popular surf spot which is part of a national park reserve. That’s where he was last seen swimming alone.
Surfers and families from Hawaii and across the country flocked in the months after Williams vanished, bringing along food to distribute to the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the ocean every year.
This Saturday was one of the largest gatherings of people in Hawaii’s recorded history. Hawaii Kai — an area of Honolulu where Williams went missing — was packed with surfers, families, and tourists, eager to remember a loved one.
This is the first story from our Pacific series. Get to know the region. Listen to KHON’s “Get It On” podcast for a deeper dive into the islands.
On the day Williams went missing, people swam in the ocean for their lives, as divers descended into the water to search for the 21-year-old man’s body.
“It never felt anything like that,” said Kealii Kahali, 19, of Honolulu, who is a part of the annual Hawaiian SURF Race.
In 2016, more than 90,000 people participated in the annual Hawaiian SURF Race, which takes place in Hawaii’s Oahu and Maui islands. Nearly
