Wailuku Man Airlifted to Maui Memorial

 By Maui Now Staff

Wailuku firefighters responded to a call about a man found exhausted on the shoreline near Milepost 5, off of Kahekili Highway in Waihe‘e on Saturday, Feb. 7 at approximately 1:45 p.m.

Three divers who were spearfishing in the area saw the man waving for help and were able to call 911 with a cell phone.

Fire personnel responded but were not able to get to the man, who was at the bottom of an estimated 100-foot sheer cliff.

Maui Fire Department’s a Kahului rescue team on Air 1 helicopter was on its way back from an earlier rescue at Red Sands Beach in Hāna, when they were redirected to Waihe‘e to assist.

Air 1 dropped two rescue firefighters by long line to get to the man.

The 41-year-old Wailuku man was found exhausted and with minor injuries. He said he had been stuck at the bottom of the cliff since yesterday.

He was packaged in a rescue basket and airlifted to a landing zone set up on Kahekili Highway. He was then transported by ground ambulance to Maui Memorial Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.