Mother is swept out to sea and her daughter hospitalized after being struck by enormous wave in Hawaii

An Oklahoma mother died after being swept out to sea by a powerful wave in Hawaii that injured her daughter and killed another man.

Susie Jett, 72, and her daughter, Laura Rich, 41, both of Oklahoma City, were visiting Kei Iki Beach on Oahu, roughly 25 miles outside of Honolulu, on Monday when they were carried out to sea by the dangerously big wave around 8am.

The pair and another man, Bryan C Kunic, 63, of Hollister, California , were stranded in the ocean for around 20 minutes before they were rescued.

Kunic, who had been sitting on the beach when the wave grabbed him, was pronounced dead on the scene, according to KHON and a GoFundMe campaign.

Jett was transported to the hospital in critical condition and received advanced life support, KHON reported. Rich, who was conscious by the time rescuers got to her, was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

Family friend Shawn McGraw, who started a GoFundMe for the mother and daughter, said Jett received '45 minutes of CPR' and was on 'life support in the ICU.'

Lifeguards had been putting warning signs out indicating high waves - which are not uncommon in the area during the wintertime - when they heard cries for help, KHON reported.

Lifeguards responded with an ATV, a jet ski, and a mobile truck before swimming to the stranded tourists and using a rescue board to bring them back in.

The National Weather Service had issued a high surf advisory at the time, with expected wave heights up to 15 feet, according to KHON.

Ocean Safety spokesperson Shayne Enright said the victims were not dressed to go swimming and were simply 'caught off guard' while the surf was 'rising.'

'They were on [the] shore, either taking photos of the surf or watching the surf when a large set came up,' she told KHON.

The area has a long history of sweeping people out to sea and for having dangerous surf conditions, according to Ocean Safety Lieutenant Kerry Atwood.

'It by far is one of the most dangerous shore breaks we have here in Hawaii,' she told KHON, calling the area a 'recipe for disaster.'

Nearby residents think owners of vacation rentals should do more to warn and education tourists about how dangerous the beach can be, as there are often rescues during the winter surf season.

'I think every year that I've lived across from this beach I've seen a death at Ke Iki Beach or more,' Dave Homcy, who has lived across from the beach for 20 years, told the outlet.

'I don't think there's any signs in these houses telling people about how to be more aware here and what to do if they're in trouble.'

Witnesses said all three victims were staying in rental homes, according to KHON.

The beach also has no lifeguard tower, as the surf can completely clear the area of sand at times.

Kunic's wife, Carolyn, said her husband loved to travel and had recently gotten his glider license, which allows him to fly small planes.

The engineer, who worked for California Water Service before retirement, was also an 'animal lover' who shared five dogs and three horses with his wife. They often attended concerts and horse clinics, and both learned to play guitar together.

'I miss my partner with all my heart,' she said. 'Please be at peace, darling Bryan.'