LIHU‘E — An 18-year-old man was airlifted from Hanakapi‘ai Beach late Thursday night in a joint-rescue operation involving U.S. Coast Guard and Kaua‘i Fire Department Hanalei firefighters, states a press release. The man’s name, residence and current condition are not
LIHU‘E — An 18-year-old man was airlifted from Hanakapi‘ai Beach late Thursday night in a joint-rescue operation involving U.S. Coast Guard and Kaua‘i Fire Department Hanalei firefighters, states a press release.
The man’s name, residence and current condition are not known, the release states.
The man was found on the Kalalau Trail by a Coast Guard pilot visiting from Oregon at around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
He apparently was suffering from extreme heat exhaustion and possibly going into shock, the release states.
The pilot hiked out of the valley and called 911. He was informed that it is not KFD policy to conduct night helicopter operations, but that firefighters could hike in and assess the victim.
The pilot asked for and was given the phone number to the Coast Guard station in Honolulu. He then contacted the Coast Guard station and told them that the situation was urgent and requested their assistance.
A joint rescue operation began with two Hanalei firefighters hiking into Hanakapi‘ai Valley and one posted at an area known as Windy Point (about a 1/4 mile from the trail head) for communications.
The Coast Guard flew to Hanakapi‘ai Beach and dropped off a crew member, who then assisted the firefighters with carrying the victim on a Stokes litter down to the beach.
From there the Coast Guard picked up the man and airlifted him to Lihu‘e Airport at around midnight, where awaiting medics then transported him to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, the release states.
