Maui Opihi Picker Airlifted After Suffering Serious Injuries in Fall

A Maui man suffered head and back injuries after falling about 20 feet while picking opihi at Waipio Bay east of Twin Falls in Haʻiku this morning.

The man was with two other opihi pickers when the incident occurred at 11:33 a.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Fire officials utilized the department’s Air 1 helicopter to extricate the man, who was seriously injured when he fell while attempting to access a steep section of rocky shoreline on the west end of the bay.

Fire crews airlifted the 52-year-old man to a landing zone off of North Honokala Road where medics were awaiting to assess the man and transport him to the Maui Memorial Medical Center.

Crews responding to the scene included Engine 2 and Rescue 10 aboard Air 1.  First responders left the scene at 1:13 p.m.