Canadian Visitor Airlifted After Being Swept into Ocean off Maui

Nākālele point, file photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

A visitor from Canada was airlifted to safety on Tuesday after being swept into the ocean at the area sometimes referred to as the “Olivine Pools,” located on the west side of Nākālele Point in West Maui, officials said.

The incident was reported at 11:58 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11, near mile post 16 of the Kahekili Highway along Maui’s northwest coast.

According to fire officials, the 27-year-old man from northwest Calgary in Alberta, Canada, was swept off the rocks and into the ocean.

Bystanders who called 911, tossed him a boogie board to stay afloat until rescue personnel arrived, said Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga.

Ocean Safety personnel aboard a rescue watercraft made contact with and secured the exhausted man to the ski as other first responders arrived on scene, authorities said.

A short time later, Rescue-10 personnel aboard the department’s Air-1 helicopter airlifted the man to a secured landing zone on shore, said FS Chief Mainaga.

According to Maninaga, the man sustained a few lacerations to his legs and feet. He was treated on scene and did not require transport to the hospital, officials said.

Other units responding to the scene included the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety’s Rescue Boat 3, and personnel from Engine-11.