CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — A 3rd Marine Division lance corporal’s March 6 drowning death has brought water safety to the forefront on Okinawa.

Lance Cpl. John W. Jeffries II was snorkeling with fellow Marines on March 6 at Maeda Point when the waters turned rough. Jeffries made it to shore but he and another Marine jumped back into the water to try to help a snorkeler who’d encountered trouble, said Marine Corps spokesman 1st Lt. Al Eskalis.

The snorkeler was brought to shore safely but Jeffries drowned.

Requests to interview the Marines involved were denied because, Eskalis said, the incident is under investigation — automatic whenever there is a death.

Maeda Point, off Okinawa’s west-central coast in the East China Sea, is a beautiful spot that can turn ugly in a heartbeat, said Kadena Marina dive instructor Dave Griffin, who has been diving for 32 years. “Any heavy tide shift there causes a lot of water to move in and out,” he said. “Any time you get a strong northern wind along with a tide shift, it makes it deadly.”

Griffin said he checked out Maeda Point the morning of March 6 and decided against getting in the water that day. “I’ve been there before when the tide shifted,” he said; even “with the experience I’ve got, I had a hard time getting out.”

Steve Warnock, 45, who’s surfed Okinawa waters for more than 20 years, said Maeda Point is great for summer diving and snorkeling but “it’s dangerous to go into the water there during the winter. Any time the winds are coming from the northeast or north-northwest, the conditions there are not very good — especially when there’s a cold front coming in. Then the water condition can change from calm to 20-foot waves in the matter of an hour.”

Maeda Point, Warnock said, “is a popular spot for taking intermediate dive classes. Stairs there … give you easy access to the water. Unfortunately, no one tells people who have practiced there in the summer that it’s a pretty dangerous place to be in the winter.

“In the winter we surf the western coastline and switch to the east coast in the summer,” he said. “The divers and others should do just the opposite.”

Every year, usually two to three people, including Americans, die at Maeda Point or Manzamo, also on the west coast, said a Kin Fire Station rescue squad member in Onna. “Almost all the accidents occur when people go into the water ignoring the weather condition,” said Masato Nakamine, substation chief.

“Once you are out of the reef, the water suddenly becomes deep, a so-called ‘drop-off,’” he said. “When the wind is strong, waves are high outside the reef” and tide changes produce very rapid currents.

“Local fishermen know this very well and none of them have ever been involved in such an accident,” Nakamine said. “Servicemembers might think that they are well-trained and strong enough to fight back high waves, but the nature power is far stronger than anyone can imagine.”

Jeffries’ death “was the second accident this year after the drownings on New Year’s Day,” said Tokuo Tokumura with the Onna fire department, which responds to about eight water-related accidents per year. On Jan. 1, two U.S. military civilian workers drowned while trying to dive in rough waters off Onna Point.

Bolo Point, just south of Maeda, also is a popular but dangerous dive spot, Nakamine said.

A 62-year-old Japanese man from Gushikawa was swept away and died March 4 while fishing on a rock near the lighthouse there, said Masanori Chibana, Kadena Fire Station rescue squad chief. “A high sea caution was issued on that day. When the sea condition is too dangerous for any water activities, we close the gate to the parking lot. But some people ignore the warnings. More than 90 percent of water related accidents occur when the sea is rough.”

At Bolo Point, he said, “Once you are swept away, it is almost impossible for you to hang on to a rock because the surfaces of the rocks near the lighthouse are very rough and as sharp as blades. … I know it is scary, but you will have a better chance to survive by trying to swim away or stay away from the shore and wait for rescue to arrive.”

The Marine Corps plans to bolster its water-safety training, said Shawn Curtis, Safety and Occupational Health specialist. He said all Marines are given water-safety classes upon arrival and a new base order will require quarterly water-safety training for all commands. The order also would prohibit wave watching during high surf times and typhoons and swimming in areas with no lifeguards.

An order against entering the water in Sea Condition-Red already exists and the unit is to post signs at dangerous spots telling swimmers to “conduct your water-related activities at a safer location.”

Most of the Marines who drowned have been younger males in ranks E-5s and below, Curtis said. He said he’s trying to stress to young Marines that drowning is the No. 1 cause of death of U.S. personnel on Okinawa.

Okinawa prefectural police headquarters statistics show 42 people, including three U.S. personnel, died in the 61 water-related accidents reported throughout Okinawa in 2003. Six U.S. personnel were among the 25 who died in 55 such accidents in 2002.

Griffin said lack of judgment is the common denominator. “The ocean is not a forgiving place,” he said. “But with the proper training, equipment and decision-making, you can’t go wrong.”

— David Allen contributed to this report.

Know conditions

Here are the various Sea Condition levels people should take into consideration before entering the water surrounding Okinawa:

• Sea Condition-Caution — Conditions which may damage property or cause minor injury. Issued after 18-knot winds, including gusts, have been observed for six hours or otherwise adverse sea conditions have been reported. Exercise caution if entering water. Only personnel who can accurately assess local conditions should enter the water. MWR activities are contacted and warned.• Sea Condition-Warning — Conditions which may be life-threatening. Issued after 25-knot winds, including gusts, have been observed for at least three hours or otherwise dangerous sea conditions have been observed and reported. Exercise extreme caution if entering the water. Only personnel who can accurately assess local conditions, have extensive experience in water activity, have a need to enter the water, or if their water activity warrants the action, should enter the water. MWR activities are contacted and warned.• Sea Condition-Red — Conditions which are deemed to be life-threatening and will cause damage to property or cause life-threatening injury. Issued after 34-knot winds, including gusts, have been observed on Okinawa and are expected to persist for at least three hours, or during Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR) Caution, islandwide. No entry into the water is permitted. Appropriate MWR facilities close and/or will not issue rentals, refill tanks or continue water-related classes or activities.

Sector Location Wind Direction Affecting Sector

• West — East China Sea shoreline, Hedo Point (Northern tip) west down to Cape Kiyan (Southern tip) North, Northwest, West and Southwest• East — Pacific Ocean shoreline, Hedo Point (Northern tip) east down to Cape Kiyan (Southern tip) Northeast, East, South and Southeast

To find out the latest Sea Condition, go to the Kadena Weather Web site at: www.kadena.af.mil/weather/update/sea, stay tuned to Armed Forces Network radio or television, or call the Torii Station SCUBA Locker at 644-4263, Tsunami Gear on Camp Foster at 645-4206, or the Kadena Marina at 634-6344.

— From Kadena Air Base Web site

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