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HVNP: Hikers cited after being rescued from Mauna Loa – West Hawaii Today

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HVNP: Hikers cited after being rescued from Mauna Loa – West Hawaii Today


HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK — Two hikers were rescued and airlifted off Mauna Loa on Monday morning after running out of food and water and getting lost during severe winter weather that closed the mountain above 10,000 feet.

The hikers, a male and female, were not injured, according to a press release from HVNP. They first called 911 Sunday morning to report that they were out of food and water in the windy, freezing weather and that their phones were running out of power.

A search-and-rescue ranger from HVNP and a helicopter pilot deployed and quickly located the uninjured couple around 11,000 feet on the remote slopes of Mauna Loa.

The pilot landed and the ranger checked on the hikers. He gave them food, water and a satellite communication device, along with instructions to return to the nearest shelter and continue to hike out on their own. The elevation and dangerous gusting winds made it too risky to transport the pair by air, according to HVNP.

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Shortly after sunset Sunday, the hikers texted the park ranger that they had lost the trail near 10,300 feet in the foul weather. The pilot, unable to operate safely in darkness and hazardous conditions, flew the ranger up again Monday morning.

The hikers were safely extracted one at a time.

“The search-and-rescue mission could have been prevented if the hikers had followed explicit directions to check in and pick up their permit from the park’s backcountry office,” HVNP Chief Ranger Jack Corrao said in a statement. “The park closed the summit of Mauna Loa and canceled all high-elevation backcountry permits on January 9 due to severe winter weather, and we immediately posted a closure alert on our website and social media outlets.

“Their actions put themselves, the pilot and our ranger at great and unnecessary risk.”

The couple was with two other hikers from Oahu, but the pairs separated on the hike to the closed summit area. The other couple hiked out on their own without incident.

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All four hikers were cited for engaging in activities without a permit. The HVNP press release did not disclose the names of the hikers.

All areas on Mauna Loa remain closed above Red Hill Cabin.





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‘Absolutely shocking’: Scituate community mourns couple killed in Hawaii helicopter crash – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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‘Absolutely shocking’: Scituate community mourns couple killed in Hawaii helicopter crash – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


SCITUATE, MASS. (WHDH) – The Scitutate community is fondly remembering a couple killed in a helicopter crash in Hawaii Thursday during a post-retirement trip.

Patrick “P.J.” Haskell, 59, and his wife Margaret Rimmler, 65, lived in a Scituate neighborhood near the ocean. They took a trip to Hawaii last week after Haskell permanently retired from the insurance business he ran with his father for decades.

“We figured Massachusetts was close enough for us, and then when we hear it was our next door neighbor – it was shocking. Absolutely shocking,” said Steve Osborne, a neighbor.

Neighbors said Rimmler worked in the tech marketing field for years, and Haskell had big plans for retirement involving his garden and bee hives.

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“He loved his gardening, and he had an overabundance of vegetables in the summertime,” said Mary Talbot, a neighbor.

“I had just spoken to him last week, and he had checked the bees and they all made it through the winter,” Osborne said.

On Thursday afternoon, the sightseeing helicopter the couple was flying in crashed near a remote beach off the coast of Kauai, killing them and one other person. Experts say the area’s geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can make for turbulant air and hazardous flying conditions.

In a memorial posting, Haskell Insurance Agency wrote, “Patrick recently retired and along with Margaret, deserved many more years together…Patrick’s kindness and selfless nature impacted all who knew him. He extended respect and compassion to everyone he encountered.”

Neighbors said the couple will be sorely missed.

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“They were just the nicest people, the nicest people,” said Osborne. “Every time I look out over there it’s just so sad.”

Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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BIIF track: Stars reach personal-best marks, break venue records at Kamehameha – West Hawaii Today

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BIIF track: Stars reach personal-best marks, break venue records at Kamehameha – West Hawaii Today






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Free mobile clinic treating storm-related injuries to relocate

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Free mobile clinic treating storm-related injuries to relocate


WAIALUA (HawaiiNewsNow) – The free mobile medical clinic serving North Shore residents is relocating.

Starting Monday, March 30, the free mobile clinic, operated in partnership with the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine and its Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project, will begin operating at Waialua District Park.

The clinic will continue offering free medical assessments and treatment Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians from Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, along with a nurse from the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement program, will work alongside doctors and medical students from the H.O.M.E. Project.

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Officials said the clinic has treated nearly 100 individuals for illnesses and injuries related to the recent Kona low storms.



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