LIHUE — Rescuers recovered a female body from the rocky base of the Hanakoa Stream Saturday morning. The body is believed to be that of a missing 19-year-old hiker who was reportedly swept away while attempting to cross the stream
LIHUE — Rescuers recovered a female body from the rocky base of the Hanakoa Stream Saturday morning.
The body is believed to be that of a missing 19-year-old hiker who was reportedly swept away while attempting to cross the stream Friday afternoon.
According to a county press release, the woman had been camping in the Kalalau Valley with a 24-year-old male companion. The two were making their way out of the valley when they tried to cross Hanakoa Stream. The man was able to make it to shore with minor injuries. He tried to locate the woman, but after an unsuccessful search he hiked out of the valley to seek help.
Police Dispatch was notified of the missing female about 6 p.m. and Rescue 3 aboard Air 1 was on scene by 6:30 p.m. They conducted an aerial search for roughly an hour before nightfall forced them to suspend the search overnight.
Search efforts resumed at daylight with assistance from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The female’s body was located near the Hanakoa shoreline about 11:30 a.m. and airlifted out of the area.
The identity of the victim has not been released. She was reportedly living on Kauai for several months.
Volunteers from Life’s Bridges, a nonprofit grief counseling service, are assisting the woman’s loved ones.
An investigation continues.
Division of State Parks closed Napali Coast State Wilderness Park and the Kalalau trail to entering hikers on Wednesday in anticipation of severe storms.
