Sunnyvale woman swept out to sea in Kauai

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- A woman who died after being swept out to sea on the Hawaiian island of Kauai this weekend has been identified by police as 58-year-old Sunnyvale resident Sansan Sheng.

Sheng was on a hike on Saturday afternoon and trying to cross Hanakapiai Stream when she was apparently swept out to sea, according to Kauai police.

Witnesses who saw her get swept into the ocean called 911, but her body was not found until Sunday morning when a tour boat spotted it and called authorities, police said.

Sheng was scheduled to attend a conference in Kauai later this week and was traveling alone, police said.

Kauai County spokeswoman Sarah Blane said Sheng was on a "popular but treacherous" hiking trail and that the island had experienced extreme weather conditions recently that were "not conducive for hiking."

Blane said a group of 37 hikers had to get rescued in the same area last month after they were not able to cross Hanakapiai Stream because of a rapid rise in the water level.

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