Orphaned 18-Month-Old Clings to Photos of Parents Who Tragically Drowned on Hawaii ‘Babymoon’ Snorkeling Trip
( Image: KITV)
An 18-month-old boy, Logan, has been left without both of his parents after a tragic drowning accident during their vacation in Hawaii. Sophia Tsaruk, 26, and her husband, Ilya, were on their first day of a babymoon, expecting their second child when they tragically drowned while snorkeling off the coast of Ahihi-Kinau.
The couple, joined by Ilya’s sister Taisiya Tsaruk, her husband Anatoliy, and another couple, had arrived at a beach on the west side of the island for what was supposed to be a relaxing first day of vacation. Sophia, who was 30 weeks pregnant, mentioned feeling slightly unwell before the group entered the water, and she was reportedly not a strong swimmer, as per reports NY Post.
“The water was calm, there were no unusual weather conditions,” Taisiya explained. “We thought we were safe. What could possibly happen?” The group had split up to explore different areas of the sea bed when a swimmer approached Taisiya and informed her of screams coming from the water. Emergency responders were called at around 12:02 p.m., and a responder on a jet ski found Sophia unconscious and floating in the water. While they rushed to pull her to shore, additional crews searched for Ilya, who was later found unconscious on the sea-bed about 100 yards from the beach.
Bystanders captured the frantic rescue efforts on video as shocked family members looked on. Sadly, after multiple attempts to revive the couple, they were pronounced dead on the shore. Taisiya speculated that the snorkel masks they were wearing may have contributed to the accident.
“I experienced a loss of breath in the water like I couldn’t breathe,” she shared. “The mask felt suffocating, and I had to take it off to breathe. Both of them drowned, but Sophia didn’t have her mask on, which is confusing.”
Since the tragedy, social media in Hawaii has seen an outpouring of comments warning about the dangers of snorkel masks. Locals have voiced concerns that these masks can pose risks to inexperienced users. “There have been multiple drownings due to these masks,” wrote Kristina Lopez-Mata. “They need to ban them, it’s an ongoing issue here.”
The couple leaves behind their son Logan, who is currently staying with his aunt and uncle. A GoFundMe campaign, launched to raise funds for Logan’s future and to bring his parents’ remains home, surpassed its $100,000 goal within days.
Sophia’s older sister, Ilona Tsymbalyuk, shared, “Everyone is constantly rotating to hold Logan because they left a part of themselves in him.” The family had been in Hawaii to celebrate Sophia’s pregnancy and their joy at welcoming a baby sister for little Logan.
