Paul David Blackburn, a 56-year-old resident of Illinois, was on vacation with his family in the serene setting of Kihei, Hawaii, in June of 2013. On the evening of June 11th, he and his son were snorkeling in the waters near the Molokini Crater, a popular destination for such activities. At approximately 5:30 p.m., a moment that would forever alter the lives of his loved ones, his son witnessed him go beneath the water's surface. Tragically, he never came back up. At the time he was last seen, he was wearing a white rash guard and board shorts, and notably, he was not using a life jacket.
The alarm was raised, and a comprehensive search effort was quickly launched. The United States Coast Guard, alongside the Maui County Fire Department and other local agencies, scoured the area by air and sea. The search involved helicopters, a response boat, and a Coast Guard cutter, which continued their operations through the night and into the following days. Mariners in the vicinity were also alerted to be on the lookout for any sign of the missing snorkeler. Despite these exhaustive efforts that covered more than 448 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, no trace of Paul Blackburn was found. After days of intensive searching yielded no results, officials made the difficult decision to suspend the active search mission.
The case of Paul Blackburn is a somber reminder of how a joyous family vacation can turn into a heartbreaking tragedy in an instant. A man from Illinois, enjoying a snorkeling excursion with his son in the beautiful waters off Maui, disappeared without a trace. The immediate and thorough response from search and rescue teams unfortunately did not lead to his recovery. His disappearance is officially classified as a lost or injured missing person case, and it is presumed that he drowned in the waters off the Molokini Crater. The incident left a family grieving and a community saddened by the sudden and profound loss.
Last Seen: Jun 11, 2013
