The wreckage of a helicopter carrying seven people to one of the most rugged and remote coastlines in Hawaii has been found in a mountainous area on the island of Kauai.
Officials said in a news release on Friday that they’re sending additional resources and searching for possible survivors.
Searchers began looking for the helicopter on Thursday night after it was reported overdue from a tour of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast on Thursday evening.
Rescuers resumed their search on Friday after steep terrain, low visibility, choppy seas and rain complicated the effort, the Coast Guard said.
“Those conditions are not ideal,” Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Sara Muir said on Thursday.
The helicopter company, identified as Safari Helicopters, contacted the Coast Guard about 45 minutes after the aircraft was due back from a tour of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast on Thursday evening, a Coast Guard statement said.
A person who answered the phone at a number listed for Safari Helicopters declined to comment and hung up.
The Eurocopter AS350 lifted off from the town of Lihue, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
Aboard were a pilot and six passengers, two of whom were believed to be children, the Coast Guard said.
The Na Pali Coast is one of the most dramatic and sought-after destinations in Hawaii.
Towering mountains with deep ravines and huge waterfalls make up the interior of the uninhabited state park.
Red rock cliffs with thick jungle canopies rise from the Pacific Ocean to over 1,200 metres.
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources spokesman Dan Dennison, who has spent years visiting and photographing the area, said winter brings more rain and turbulent seas.
-AAP
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