KOKE‘E — A male visitor got a little more out of his Kaua‘i experience than he was probably going for when a sightseeing adventure turned into an all-nighter on Monday.
The ordeal started when a 60-year-old Connecticut man and his daughter headed to Pu‘u O Kila lookout in Koke‘e State Park to watch the sunset shortly before 7:30 p.m.
Soon after, the father and daughter found themselves separated. The man was last seen walking toward Pihea Trail, the Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) said.
When his daughter could not locate him on Monday evening, she called the police department to report the man as missing.
That prompted Kaua‘i Fire Department and KPD personnel to conduct a ground search for the man. But the search came up empty, and due to weather conditions and darkness it was suspended until the following day.
The search resumed on Tuesday morning with Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kaua‘i Search and Rescue personnel pitching in along with some local air support.
At approximately 10:40 a.m., firefighters found the man in the vicinity of the Alakai Swamp Trail. The man was uninjured, and firefighters then helped him get back to the trailhead.
But because of underlying health conditions, the man was assessed and treated by American Medical Response medics and transported to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea. He was later released from the hospital.
“We thank all agencies involved for the quick response and successful recovery of this missing person,” said Kennison Nagahisa, acting captain of KPD’s Investigative Service Bureau. “We would also like to remind the public that it is very easy to get lost on trails, and to be vigilant when hiking during evening hours.”
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
Rule # One:
If you are not very, very confident in the route, then it’s always better to stay put.
If it’s nightfall, you are injured or you are near exhaustion, stay in place.
US Forest Service