Five Hikers Airlifted from Maui’s “Bamboo Forest”

“Bamboo Forest” Kailua, Maui. Maui Now image.

Five hikers were airlifted from the “Bamboo Forest” in the East Maui area of Kailua on Sunday, after becoming stranded by rising stream waters. The incident was reported at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

Three adults and two children, ages 8 and 12, were airlifted to safety and released with no injuries.

They were all part of the same hiking group that included Maui residents and visitors from California. Others airlifted included a 50-year-old man from Maui, a 47-year-old man and and 18-year-old woman from Fortuna, California.

Firefighters from Pāʻia arrived at 3:40 p.m. and spoke with the female visitor that made the call for help. The woman was returning to her car and had just made the last stream crossing near Hāna Highway when the stream flow suddenly increased very rapidly. She said there were five people further up the trail by the second pond and she didn’t
think the stream was crossable anymore.

Fire rescue personnel aboard the department’s Air-1 helicopter located the five hikers along the trail and advised them of the flash flooding that had occurred. Rescue crews eventually the stranded hikers to a grass pasture near the highway. They were checked out by paramedics and were released at around 4:30 p.m.

Firefighters from Pāʻia and a rescue crew from Kahului responded to the incident.