On April 25, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 4:31 p.m. and responded to an injured hiker on the Mount Kaʻala Trail in Waiʻanae with 5 units staffed with 13 personnel. The first unit arrived on scene at 4:48 p.m. to secure a landing zone nearby to prepare for a search and rescue operation by air.
It was reported that a male in his 20s was hiking on the trail for about four hours when he slipped and fell about 50 feet down a slope, ending up in a dry riverbed. He experienced pain in his lower back and could not continue on his own. Air 1 was able to locate him about two miles from the trailhead visually and lowered rescuers nearby. They arrived at his side at 5:11 p.m. to perform an initial medical assessment, administer basic life support treatment, and prepare him for extraction. Air 1 hovered over the open area, hoisted him safely onboard, and transported him to the nearby landing zone, where his medical care was transferred to the Emergency Medical Services unit at 5:30 p.m.