Would-Be Volcano Viewers Require Chopper Rescue
A pair of hikers had to be rescued by Hawaii Fire Department personnel Thursday after becaming lost while trying to view volcanic activity from a trail leading from the Fern Forest subdivision.
The unidentified couple used a cellphone to call authorities at about 3 p.m. after they became lost while hiking from Captain’s Drive, also known as Ala Kapena Drive, toward the Pu`u `O`o vent.
A department spokesman said the pair became lost after losing the trail in the heavily forested area.
After locating their vehicle parked at the trailhead, an aerial search was conducted using the department’s Chopper 1 utilizing GPS coordinates supplied by the missing hikers.
The hikers were located by the helicopter’s crew and then airlifted out with the assistance of a ground team.
No injuries were reported.