A 70-year-old woman visiting from Manti, Utah, was found unconscious and later died yesterday afternoon at 'Anini Beach, Kaua'i County officials reported.

Witnesses said the woman and her husband, also in his 70s, were snorkeling in the boat channel at 'Anini Beach about 15 feet from the shore.

Upon learning that there were turtles in deeper water, the couple went in search of the turtles, the county said. As they swam farther from shore, the couple became caught in a rip current, which began to pull them out.

They tried to swim in together, but were unable to make much progress. When they were about 75 yards from shore, the husband told his wife to hold on to a channel marker while he went for help.

A third person swam out and found the woman face-down in the water. He brought her to shore and another person began CPR. Firefighters arrived and continued CPR.

Officials took the woman to Wilcox Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.