3-hour snorkel tour turns violent; Big Island boat captain stabbed and 21-year-old arrested

During a private three-hour snorkel tour out of Honokōhau Harbor on Thursday, a 21-year-old visiting from Overland Park, Kansas, stabbed the boat captain in the back. The suspect, identified as Avery Nissen, has been arrested and charged, Hawaiʻi Island police said.

Kona patrol officers responded at 3:21 p.m. to the harbor in North Kona, where they met Hawai‘i Nautical’s 55-foot catamaran that was returning from sea with the victim, 62-year-old boat captain Stan Lurbiecki, a crew member and three passengers, including Nissen.

“This is like the most random, wildest, craziest thing you’ll ever hear of,” said Lurbiecki, who was taken to Kona Community Hospital where he recovering from his injuries.

Lurbiecki told Big Island Now on Friday that he had taken Nissen, his mother and a sibling out on the boat to snorkel. But Nissen stayed on board while the other two passengers got into the water.

After the snorkel, Lurbiecki drove the boat toward the harbor. They were 30 minutes away when Lurbiecki said Nissen snuck a 10-inch fillet knife from the boat’s galley and stabbed him in the back unprovoked.

“I wrestled the knife out of him and he continued to frantically stab away at me,” Lurbiecki said.

Nissen’s mother tried to intervene, Lurbiecki said.

Nissen then leapt off the side of the boat. Lubriecki said he used a towel to hold pressure on his neck wound and then rescued Nissen.

The 21-year-old was able to climb back onto the boat and sat with his mother for the duration of the trip without incident.

Nissen’s sibling helped Lubriecki by putting pressure on his wounds, “stopping me from bleeding out on the way in.”

“I made it into the harbor and backed the boat up, and the paramedics met me there and further stopped the bleeding,” Lubriecki said. “I’d lost almost half my blood.”

The motive for the attack is unknown.

At Kona Community Hospital, Lubriecki said he was given several blood transfusions.

The Hawaiʻi County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney charged Nissen with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault.

His bail was set at $1.57 million. Nissen’s initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 20, in Kona District Court.

Lubriecki said he’s been a boat captain for 35 years. Nothing like this has ever happened to him and it likely never will again, he said.

Police ask anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Detective Bradley Llanes at 808-326-4646, ext. 268, or via email at Bradley.Llanes@hawaiipolice.gov.