I once interviewed the one time CEO of United Airlines when they were focusing on Hawaii as one of their regional markets from Denver. When I talked to him that June some five years ago on Kauai, we at the newspaper had started terming visitor and local deaths “recreational” if they involved hiking, swimming, snorkeling. That June, the island had seen over 20 recreational deaths halfway through the year.

One of the most notorious culprits of these deaths was and continues to be full-face snorkels. This information is common knowledge and with yet another tragic drowning we saw occur this week, the use of these full-face snorkels continues to prove fatal for visitors.

When I interviewed the CEO, I asked him why United Airlines doesn’t play a video for visitors explaining to them the dangers that exist on the island. He responded that they had considered it and I explained why I felt it important that these visitors come to the islands with the education that the ocean is a powerful entity that will win every time.

He said they would look into it and as I have continued to fly with United over the years, the only information I have seen presented is the declaration form you are told to fill out upon entry to Hawaii.

The ocean is dangerous enough as is, but if you add in a snorkel that will cause you to pass out because of C02 poisoning, you’re tempting fate.

Social media has been abuzz about the incident that occurred in South Maui this week. Lots of conversation has centered around the fact that full-face masks have not been rented for some time by retailers on Maui because of the dangers that exist. They are however for sale at local retailers on the islands.

Why they still sell these C02 death traps is beyond my understanding.

With yet another casualty of these faulty snorkels, there has to come a point where the profit that is made off of these plastic death traps is not worth the human cost inflicted on families and communities.

Our hearts go out to the family of Ilya Tsaruk, Sophia Tsaruk, their unborn child, and the 18-month-old son they left with their family while they made the trip to Maui for vacation. No vacation should ever end in tragedy like this and there are many things that can be done to prevent the loss of life on the islands.

Hopefully, this serves as another wake-up call that dangers exist in paradise and our visitors need to have that information fresh in their minds when they arrive on these islands for some aloha and sunshine. The major retailers that continue to sell full-face snorkels need to be liable for the product they continue to carry in their stores. If something isn’t done, we will continue to see tragedy unfold as these products are still readily available to the public and visitors.