Tragic Snorkeling Accident Claims Life of San Jose Man on Honeymoon in Hawaii

SAN JOSE, CaliforniaSteven Phan, a San Jose man who died in Hawaii on his honeymoon in an apparent snorkeling accident, was a “super strong” swimmer in the ocean, according to his best friend.

Phan, 49, and his wife were celebrating the start of their new life together on a trip to Honolulu when their dream honeymoon turned into a nightmare.

The newlyweds were snorkeling at Electric Beach in Nānākuli on June 1, when Phan suddenly disappeared underwater.

The girlfriend, Brittany Myers Phan, “was going ahead of him. And at one point, she looked back and he wasn’t there,” Phan’s friend Sean Rankin told KRON4.

Supporters on the beach saw Phan floating in the water, pulled him out of the ocean and gave him CPR.

But it was too late: Phan had drowned, Rankin reported. Later, he was pronounced dead at a Hawaiian hospital.

Brittany Myers Phan was stranded in Hawaii for several days because she did not have identification to fly back to the Bay Area.

A thief stole his backpack at Electric Beach during the snorkeling emergency, with his wallet, ID, cell phone and rental car keys still inside.

The couple, full of illusions and happiness, was plunged into an unexpected tragedy. Authorities continue to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident as Steven Phan’s loved ones mourn their sudden loss.