The Kaua‘i fire department and Inter-Island Helicopter Air 1 rescued a 22-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., Sunday morning. Officials said the man, who had come to Kaua‘i on a cruise ship, had gotten lost hiking toward Kipu Kai on Saturday.
The Kaua‘i fire department and Inter-Island Helicopter Air 1 rescued a 22-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., Sunday morning.
Officials said the man, who had come to Kaua‘i on a cruise ship, had gotten lost hiking toward Kipu Kai on Saturday.
The Kauai Police Department received a call from dispatch about the lost hiker on Haupu Ridge at around 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Using night vision goggles and zeroing in on his cell phone signal, Rescue 3 spotted him Saturday evening.
Rescuers then called him on his cell phone, learned he was OK and told him they would return to rescue him in the morning.
Rescue specialist Reed Tanita and Inter-Island Helicopter owner Ken D’Attilio flew out on Air 1 at around 9 a.m. Sunday.
Tanita and D’Attilio ran into some difficulty trying to get to the man because of high winds, so after spotting him, they landed in a nearby valley and hiked in to get him.
D’Attilio said the man appeared to have been covered in scratches and bug bites and seemed a bit delirious.
Rescuers flew to the Coast Guard station, and medics took him to Wilcox Memorial Hospital.
County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said the man was dehydrated, but not seriously injured.
