30-year-old tourist dies in 250-foot plunge off treacherous trail, Hawaii officials say

A 30-year-old man visiting Hawaii died after plunging 250 feet off a dangerous unsanctioned trail traversing three Oahu peaks, emergency officials said.

Rescuers responded to a 911 caller reporting a fallen hiker on the Olomana Trail at 10:57 a.m. Wednesday, April 6, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a news release.

Firefighters airlifted the man to a nearby park, the release said.

Medics later pronounced the man dead, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

The man, a visitor to Hawaii, had been hiking with three others on the trail, which is not recognized or maintained by the state, KHON reported. It’s known to be treacherous.

“It is very slippery if it’s raining, it’s very steep, and some parts you’ll have to pretty much rock climb,” resident Joshua Mendes told the station. “Pretty scary if you don’t like heights.”

The man fell while traversing the third peak on the trail, firefighters reported.

“The third peak for almost the entire route going uphill is totally exposed,” Ralph Valentino, of Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, told Hawaii News Now. “In other words, if you fell two steps to your right or two steps to your left, you could fall and you may be headed down 100 feet or further before you stopped.”

The hiker’s identity has not been released.

This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 11:05 AM with the headline "30-year-old tourist dies in 250-foot plunge off treacherous trail, Hawaii officials say."