On Tuesday, the search for two teens who went missing at Ke Iki Beach on Oahu’s North Shore entered its fourth day.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Fire Captain Jaimie Song stated that human remains were found in the area.
"Just moments ago, we received a report from the medical examiner's office that those remains are, in fact, human, and we have informed the family of such we do not have confirmation, though, that those remains are related to this search effort," said Song.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Michelle Rice confirmed that the search would be suspended at sundown Tuesday.
“…Unless anything new comes up, we’ve come to that very difficult decision to suspend the case tonight at sunset,” said Rice.
Samantha Chun, 17, and Joseph Fujioka, 18, were reported missing after not returning home on Friday. The pair was last seen at a Mililani area convenience store on Friday around 9:54 p.m., according to the Honolulu Police Department. The next morning, family members found their belongings at Ke Iki Beach.
A high surf warning was in effect on Friday night for the North Shore, with waves in the 40-foot face range.
On Saturday at 10:40 a.m., the Honolulu Fire Department received a 911 call from the boy's mother about the missing teenagers. HFD started by conducting a shoreline search near Ke Iki Beach. Honolulu Ocean Safety, the Honolulu Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Hawaii Wing Civil Air Patrol are also assisting with the search.
HFD ocean and air assets are conducting the search about 2.5 miles offshore of Ke Iki beach. The Hawaii Wing Civil Air Patrol said on Sunday they flew four aircraft with 12 aircrew members conducting a parallel search pattern a half mile offshore. On Monday, the Hawaii Wing Civil Air Patrol continued to assist with the search by flying three Cessna aircraft with 7 aircrew members in a north-east ocean current direction about 20 miles from shore starting from the Haleiwa boat harbor past Kaena Point in a parallel pattern. Ocean Safety deployed multiple jet ski crews, all terrain vehicles and mobile lieutenants to aide in the search.
Each evening around 6:30 p.m., the search is suspended until first light.
High surf conditions have made the search challenging, according to HFD. On Saturday, the surf was 18-feet face waves, declining overnight. By Tuesday, the surf was smaller than previous days.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with information about the search entering its fourth day and statements from a press conference. (Jan. 21, 2025)
