Hiker rescued airlifted
from Olomana overnight
A hiker who spent the night stranded on a ledge on Mount Olomana was brought out by a fire department rescue crew just before 4:30 a.m. yesterday.
The man started hiking at about 1 p.m. Wednesday but was caught on the trail when it got dark. At about midnight, he used his cellphone to call for help, said Fire Capt. Emmit Kane.
Fire rescue personnel responded to a call for help from a man in his 30s stranded on a ledge atop Mount Olomana last night and completed the rescue just before 4:30 a.m. yesterday.
The call came in about midnight, Kane said. The man had started hiking at about 1 p.m. Darkness set in and the man told fire personnel he had planned to stay overnight.
But he decided to call for help at about midnight on his cell phone, Kane said.
The fire department helicopter located the man just after 2 a.m. Three fire department rescue specialists were taken by helicopter to a spot above the ledge where the man was stranded and rappelled about 100 feet to reach him, Kane said. The rescuers brought him to a safe part of the trail where the fire helicopter was able to pick him up and bring him to Maunawili Park just before 4:30 a.m.,
Darkness and strong gusty winds made the rescue difficult, Kane said.
