A sightseeing helicopter crashed along Kauai's famed Napali Coast on Thursday, prompting a major search and rescue operation. The incident involved a helicopter from Ali'i Kauai Air Tours and Charters, as reported by the Kauai Police Department.
The crash occurred at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time, when hikers on the Kalalau Trail witnessed the helicopter plunging into the water about a quarter-mile offshore, near the Hanakoa Valley. Authorities were quickly notified, and multiple agencies responded to the scene.
The response effort includes the U.S. Coast Guard, Kauai Fire Department, island and state Emergency Management Agency representatives, the Ocean Safety Bureau, and local police. So far, one individual has been recovered and confirmed dead, while two others remain missing as of Friday evening. The identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed.
This incident adds to a series of helicopter crashes on Kauai over the years. In 2019, a crash near Kekaha resulted in seven fatalities, fueling calls for more stringent regulations on helicopter and small-aircraft operations. That same year, over 20 people died in various crashes across the Hawaiian Islands.
