UPDATE 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 1

The victim of a possible drowning has been identified as Hamilton Manley, University of Hawaii Hilo assistant basketball coach.

Coach Hamilton Manley (photo by Rick Ogata)

Police are investigating Manley’s death as a possible drowning Wednesday morning in waters off the Kapoho Vacationland subdivision in Puna.

Puna patrol officers responded to a 9:43 a.m. report of a swimmer in distress off Waiopae Road. They arrived to find bystanders had pulled the man from the water.

He was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11 a.m.

Police do not suspect foul play. They have classified the case as a coroner’s inquest and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Manley, 64, was named an assistant basketball coach Sept. 16, 2003.

According to the university Web site, Manley previously served as head coach of the Waiakea High School girl’s team, which finished as the 2002 consolation champions at the state tournament.

At the time, UH-Hilo Head Coach Jeff Law praised Manley as working very well with students and understanding the tradition of Vulcan basketball.

Manley also coached the boy’s teams at Henry Opukahaia School (1987-1991) and Pahoa High School (1996-2000). He was twice selected as the conference coach of the year.

Besides working with UH-Hilo athletes, Manley also served as an instructor at various statewide basketball camps and clinics as well as the Vulcans-Hawaii Basketball Summer Youth Camp.

Manley leaves his wife, Marisa, of Hilo.

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Fire/Rescue units responded to a 9:42 a.m. alarm Wednesday (July 1) to the Waiopae tidepools in Kapoho for a 64-year-old male victim of a possible drowning approximately 150 yards from the tidepool parking area in rough lava flats.

Fire dispatch reported family members found the victim floating in the water approximately 10 minutes after he went snorkeling. Bystanders helped pull the victim onto rocks and started CPR. Rescue crews took over CPR and used Chopper one to airlift the victim to a medic unit which transported him to Hilo Medical Center.