Couple Airlifted from Bamboo Forest Trail

Bamboo Forest rescue on March 12, 2018. PC: Matt Kinoshita

Two visitors from Washington D.C. were rescued on Monday afternoon after being stranded by high stream waters at the Bamboo Forest Trail in East Maui.

Fire crews were dispatched to the popular hiking spot in Kailua at 12:32 p.m. on Monday, March 12, 2018.  Pāʻia firefighters were on scene at 1:07 p.m. and found the couple on the opposite side of the first stream crossing, not far from the trailhead.

Fire officials say the two had made it across the stream on their trek in, but found the stream flowing too high to chance the crossing on their return. A group of hikers just starting out on the trail came upon the stream crossing and also did not want to risk it. They called for help after realizing the D.C. couple was stuck on the opposite side.

The department’s Air-1 helicopter arrived and airlifted the couple to a pasture near the trailhead on Hāna Highway at around 1:40 p.m. The couple, a 33-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were not injured.

Rescue 10 from Kahului also responded along with Pāʻia firefighters.