On February 1, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 text call at 3:21 p.m. and responded to a lost hiker off of the Moanalua Ridge Trail in Moanalua with 5 units staffed with 13 personnel. The first unit arrived on scene at 3:32 p.m. and secured a landing zone nearby to prepare for air operations.
It was reported that an adult male was hiking alone about three miles from the trailhead and found himself in a precarious location, unable to descend on his own. Due to the hiker’s remote location, cell phone reception was poor and he was only able to send and receive text messages. HFD dispatch personnel guided Air 1 to the hiker’s general location via his geolocation. Air 1 located him on the side of a ridge and lowered rescue personnel nearby. HFD arrived at the hiker’s side at 4:17 p.m., performed an initial medical assessment, and prepared him for extraction. Air 1 hovered over the open area, hoisted him safely onboard, then safely transported him to the nearby landing zone, where he declined medical care at 4:37 p.m.