KAILUA-KONA, HI – A snorkeling excursion off Hawaii’s Big Island turned into a crime scene Thursday afternoon when a visiting passenger allegedly attacked a boat captain with a fillet knife, leaving him with multiple wounds before the vessel rushed back to shore.
Avery Nissen, 21, of eastern Kansas, is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault, according to the Hawaii Police Department. He is being held on $1,570,000 bail following the incident aboard a fishing vessel near Kailua-Kona.
Attack unfolds during tour off Kona coast
The incident happened during what police described as a three-hour snorkel tour. Nissen was “aboard a fishing vessel” with the captain and others when the alleged assault began, authorities said. At some point during the trip, officers allege Nissen attacked the 62-year-old captain with a knife typically used for cutting fish.
According to police, the suspect “had to be restrained by other people on the boat” as the situation escalated at sea.
Emergency response at Honokōhau Harbor
At about 3:21 p.m., patrol officers were called to Honokōhau Harbor after receiving reports that a fishing vessel “was returning from sea with the victim and suspect of a stabbing incident onboard,” police said. When the boat reached the harbor, officers took Nissen into custody without further incident.
The captain “sustained a stab wound to the lower abdomen and numerous knife cuts to the head and hands,” police said. He was transported to a local hospital, “where he remains in stable condition.”
Authorities say the motive behind the attack remains unclear. Investigators are asking anyone with additional information to come forward as they continue to piece together what led to the violence on the water.
Nissen is scheduled to appear in Kona District Court on Monday.
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