Father, daughter safe after rescue

TGI Staff WriterPRINCEVILLE — Hanalei firefighters rescued yesterday a

43-year-old man from Arizona and his 12-year-old daughter, who had gone

exploring and become trapped along a cliffline near the Ali’i Kai

Condominiums.

Firefighters rappelled down the cliff, lowered Richard Leon,

of Tempe, Ariz. and his daughter, Rikki, to a more level area and led them to

safety, according to Hanalei Fire Capt. Bob Kaden.

Before 6:30 p.m. Leon

told his wife, Vicki, that he and his daughter wanted to explore the coastline

at the resort community.

The man’s wife became worried when they didn’t

return, conducted an unsuccessful search of the coastline by the condominium

and called for help from people who were in the area, according to Kaden.

Bystanders, in turn, called the Hanalei Fire Station for help.

Four

firefighters, under the command of Capt. Jay Harms, conducted a search of the

coastline and found Leon and his daughter on a ledge below the condominium

project.

Both became trapped after one of them had slid off the trial and

the other climbed down the cliff area to help, Kaden said.

Using ropes, the

firefighter rappelled 100 feet to the ledge and helped bring Leon and his

daughter down another 50 feet to a more level area, Kaden said.

From there,

Leon an his daughter, assisted by firefighters, walked on a trail used by local

fishermen back to a beach at Kaweonui Point and took another trail back to the

condominium project, Kaden said.

Leon and his family had apparently just

arrived on Kaua’i and wanted to explore the Princeville resort coastline area

before dark.

Both sustained only minor scratches and bruises.