At least one person has died and two others are missing after a helicopter belonging to a tour company crashed into the water off the Hawaiian island of Kauai, police said.
Police said the helicopter involved in the crash belonged to Ali‘i Kauai Air Tours and Charters, a private family-owned company that offers aerial tours of Hawaiian islands by plane and helicopter, though identities of the passengers have not been released.
“Multiple agencies are continuing a search and recovery operation,” said Kauai Police Department in a statement, involving the United States Coast Guard, the Kauai Fire Department and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, among others.
Police said the helicopter “crashed in waters about a quarter mile offshore, fronting the Hanakoa Valley along Na Pali Coast” on Thursday, along the northwest of the island.
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According to a preliminary police report, hikers along the Kalalau Trail along the coast witnessed the helicopter crash into the waters and reported the incident to the Kauai Police Dispatch at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time.
Police added that the body of one passenger was recovered at approximately 2:25 p.m. local time, with two others still missing early Friday.
“Our hearts go out to the families impacted by this tragedy. We will continue working with our partners to locate the missing individuals and provide support during this difficult time,” said Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck in the statement. “Our multi-agency response remains focused on the search and recovery efforts.”
According to its website, Ali‘i Kauai Air Tours and Charters uses Robinson R44 helicopters, which provide three passengers per tour with large window seats and unobstructed views. Tour prices start from $359 per person. An FAA spokesperson confirmed to The Post by email on Friday that the helicopter had been a Robinson R44.
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“While we do not know all the details surrounding the incident at this time, we do know that our first responders are doing everything they can in this emergency operation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all involved,” said Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami.
Share this articleShareKauai, an island northwest of Oahu, is ringed by towering mountains and jagged cliffs that served as a backdrop for the “Jurassic Park” movie series making it popular with tourists. The island of 73,000 residents is nearly 80 percent uninhabited with much of it a state park. Its terrain is knotted with cliffs, gorges and forests and few inland roads.
Today, Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and Coast Guard Station Kauai responded to a charter helicopter crash off the Nā Pali Coast.
The case is still on-going.
— USCG Hawaii Pacific (@USCGHawaiiPac) July 12, 2024. The FAA said it will investigate the incident and issue a preliminary incident report in the coming days. The National Transportation Safety Board also said it will launch an investigation into the event.
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Acting Hawaii Gov. Sylvia Luke (D) said in a statement that the state “stands fully prepared to work in tandem with the County of Kauai and our Federal partners. We thank all responders and agency partners for their assistance during this difficult time.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has put in place a temporary flight restriction for the search area during this operation, police said. Search and rescue missions are due to continue early Friday, they added.
In 2019, a helicopter crash left seven dead after a tour off Kauai, among them three children.
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