Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — While many people are embracing palolo season this week, a tragic incident happened in the early hours of yesterday, Thursday, Oct. 28 around 1a.m when a 48-year-old father drowned at sea behind the Pago Pago International Airport while hunting palolo.

The body of the man was recovered by people who were present at the site and later transported to the LBJ Medical Hospital by EMS personnel where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to a report, the victim along with a friend went palolo hunting near the east runway at the airport. The current at that time was very strong and caused the victim’s gear to wash out to sea. Unfortunately, when the man attempted to go after his gear, the current was so strong that he was also washed out to the sea.

The man’s friend attempted to help the victim but also ended up washed out to the sea by the strong current.

Other people at the same location saw what was happening and quickly offered their help to save the two men. However, the victim didn’t make it and he was pronounced dead at the LBJ ER while his friend survived and he’s now in good condition.

No names have been released of those involved in the unfortunate accident.

Despite the tragic drowning, many people were out late Wednesday night through early Thursday morning on the lookout for the Samoan seafood delicacy — palolo — waking up as early as midnight to head out to sea, in the hope of catching the sea worms (palolo) which some call Samoan caviar.

In some villages, women and children joined the men to catch as much as they could, while others took boats and went out to deeper water to scoop up the palolo.