On October 11, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 5:16 p.m. for lost hikers on the Koolau Summit Trail near Waiahole and responded with 5 units staffed with 13 personnel. The first unit arrived on scene at 5:41 p.m. to secure a landing zone nearby to prepare for a search and rescue operation by air.
It was reported that two, 15-year-old males had been hiking on the Pupukea Summit Trail since 7:00 a.m. yesterday, were not injured, but were lost. HFD rescuers were inserted by air at the mountain summit and arrived at their side at 5:41 p.m. The rescuers performed an initial medical assessment and prepared them for extraction. Air 1 hovered over the open area, hoisted them safely onboard, and transported them to the nearby landing zone, where they both declined medical attention.