VIDEO: Maui Paddleboarder Airlifted After Nearly 12 Hour Overnight Search in Olowalu

A 51-year-old woman from Nāpili, Maui, is in stable condition, but exhausted after being rescued in waters off of West Maui this morning following an overnight search.

The search for the woman began at 8 p.m. on Thursday night in the Olowalu area, and included land and air searches by the Maui Fire Department, with the assistance of personnel from the US Coast Guard.

The woman was reportedly paddleboarding when she went missing. The report stated the paddleboarder was last seen 100-yards off the beach wearing a blue rash guard, black leggings, and a blue personal flotation device.

At daybreak, Rescue 10 personnel aboard the Maui Fire Department’s Air 1 helicopter continued searching the probable area. At approximately 7:40 a.m., this morning, USCG assets located the woman approximately 1 mile offshore in the Ukumehame area. The woman was airlifted by Rescue 10 aboard Air 1 to awaiting Medics for evaluation.

“This rescue came down to teamwork,” said Lt. Jeff Henkel, an Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules aircraft commander. “It was a true display of inter-agency coordination at its finest. When local and federal rescue efforts combine, our search capabilities are extremely effective.”

Fire officials say the woman was in stable condition, but exhausted. Authorities say ocean and weather conditions yesterday at the time of the report included strong offshore winds in the area.