Nine people have drowned in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Maui over the past two weeks, prompting local authorities to describe the events as 'unprecedented'.

'In the last few weeks Maui has experienced an unprecedented spike in ocean drowning incidents,' said Maui County Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto.

Each of the nine victims were men. The first two victims were found on January 13. Over the next 13 days, seven more drowning victims were found in the water.

Nine people have drowned in the last two weeks in the waters off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Maui

In an odd twist, three of the nine victims were from the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Additionally, of the nine deaths, five of them involved snorkeling incidents.

It is believed the drownings could be influenced by full face snorkeling masks, which don't have mouthpieces like traditional masks.

Maui County authorities have called the deaths 'unprecedented' - some have tied the deaths to snorkeling, as five of the deaths were swimmers who were snorkeling

These masks can trap carbon dioxide, which can make users tired.

'Carbon dioxide buildup is known to lead to what we call a gray feeling,' snorkeling gear designer and retailer Robert Winter told Hawaii News Now. 'Some people say it makes them sleepy. We know that it can exacerbate panic, which I think is the big culprit in most of these incidents you are seeing now across Hawaii.'

Drowning is the leading cause of death for tourists in Hawaii. 17 tourists drown on average per year in waters off the Aloha State while snorkeling, according to a report by ABC.

Experts say that swimmers should be aware of their limitations and test all snorkeling equipment before embarking on a dive.