KAILUA — A 44-year-old New Mexico man drowned yesterday afternoon at Kailua Beach while trying to help his young son who was having difficulties in the water.

The man died at the Castle Medical Center. His 12-year-old son was in serious condition at Castle last night.

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i was offering assistance to the Albuquerque, N.M., family, who were here visiting friends.

The boy was in the water and got into trouble about 2:30 p.m., said Emergency Medical Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic. The father went into the water to help the boy and ended up struggling himself, Cheplic said.

Residents who were at the beach at the time said a young man ran into the water with his bodyboard and pulled the man to shore, where rescuers attempted to revive him.

Ross Word, who was visiting his mother at their family home on Wilikoki Place, said rescuers worked on the man after he was brought to shore. He and the boy were then taken to Castle.

Neither was identified.

Word said the 44-year-old man was about 100 yards offshore and was pulled onto shore by another man who was at the beach with his wife.

"The man said he heard cries of help from the son," Word said. "He (the father) was brought onto shore on the man's Boogie Board."

Honolulu Fire Department Capt. James Todd said the father and son had both been brought ashore when HFD rescue crews arrived. Firefighters said the man was not responsive.

Surf conditions were 2 to 4 feet with trade winds. There are no lifeguards on the stretch of beach where the drowning occurred, north of Kalama Beach Park.

Dana Smith Gentilly, who was on the beach with her young daughter at the time of the drowning, said the weather was windy, and the surf was constant.

"All I can do is say a prayer for the man and his family," Gentilly said.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.