A local nonprofit is looking for more volunteers due to more tourist deaths

By Shanila Kabir

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — State reports show Hawaii is seeing the highest number of daily passengers since the pandemic. However, Hawaii needs more resources to help when those visitors run into trouble while here.

The president of “Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii” (VASH) said the number of volunteers they have now is stretched to the max.

Volunteers take cases that involve tourists who fall victim to thefts, crime and more severe cases, like when a tourist dies while on vacation.

“We work with the families of the deceased,” VASH Volunteer Robert Gentry said. “We make sure their decision is taken into action and we take them to mortuary if they want a burial or a cremation.”

VASH Hawaii has taken in 28 cases so far in 2023 and four of them were fatal cases. A volunteer told KITV4 drowning cases continue to go up every year.

VASH President Jessica Lani Rich said one main issue is tourists ignore “high surf warning” signs. She is urging more people to come out and be a volunteer to help keep these families safe when they come on vacation.

“We’re seeing a lot of visitors come here and let their guard down,” said Rich. “Not only do they leave their valuables unattended but they’ll also leave their cars running which has resulted in many car thefts. Everything goes up including crimes like these.”

The organization has 25 volunteers and they hope to have at least 50 this year to accommodate as many families as they can.

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