On May 3, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 5:38 p.m. and responded to a report of lost hikers on the Kaʻau Crater Trail in Pālolo with 6 units staffed with 17 personnel. The first unit arrived on scene at 5:46 p.m. to secure a nearby landing zone to prepare for a search and rescue operation by air.
It was reported that a 27-year-old male and a 38-year-old female were hiking on the trail for about six hours, went off the trail, got lost, and could not continue on their own. Rescuers arrived at their side at 6:17 p.m., performed an initial medical assessment to ensure there were no life-threatening injuries, and prepared them for extraction. Air 1 hovered over the open area, hoisted both hikers safely onboard, and transported them to the nearby landing zone. They declined medical care at 6:44 p.m.