A tourist from Canada was rescued after accidentally driving a rental Jeep off a Hawaii cliff
A tourist driving in the early morning dark on the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island accidentally drove his rented Jeep off a cliff
A tourist from Canada was rescued after accidentally driving a rental Jeep off a Hawaii cliff
Show all 5Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A tourist driving in the early morning dark on the southern tip of Hawaii's Big Island accidentally drove his rented Jeep off a cliff but was able to swim to shore until firefighters pulled him up with a rope and helicopter.
The man was treated for facial injuries and slight hypothermia after Sunday's rescue, the Hawaii County Fire Department said in a news release.
Firefighters, police and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the cliffs of South Point in Naalehu at about 3:45 a.m. Sunday to a report of a swimmer in distress in the ocean, the release said.
He swam about 100 yards to shore at the bottom of a cliff the fire department estimated to be 50-60 feet (15.24-18.28 meters).
Big Island resident Michael Moody was camping nearby to go spearfishing when the commotion from the rescue woke him up. By then, the tourist was already in the water, Moody said Thursday.
The road there is dangerous for those who aren't familiar with it, he said.
"It goes from a big major road to a dirt road,” he said. “And that’s only about 100 feet (30.48 meters) long and then it gets really steep, and that’s only about 20 feet (6 meters) long. And then that’s the edge.”
Police told KITV the man, 27, was visiting from Canada.
“We have terrible things that happen because tourists don’t know what they’re doing,” Moody said.
The rescue required 16 people and could have been dangerous for those involved because of the high surf in the area, said Mayor Mitch Roth.
“A lot of resources,” Roth said. “It sounds like a careless act.”
While it's known among locals as a fishing spot, it's not a popular destination for tourists — especially at that hour, Roth said.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.