The Honolulu Fire Department airlifted three hikers to safety this morning after they spent the night, trapped by darkness and bad weather, near Crouching Lion in Kaaawa, a spokesman for the Honolulu Fire Department said Sunday.

The two men and one woman, identified as students at Brigham Young University in Laie, called for help at about 4:45 p.m. Saturday, said Fire Capt. Tyler Chan. But rescue crews were not able to reach them until today.

The hikers were airlifted off the trail, one by one, beginning just after 6 a.m. and were evaluated by paramedics, but Chan said he wasn’t sure of their status.

Chan said the students sought shelter under a tree during the night.

A separate trio of hikers were also stranded overnight above Moanalua Valley.

Chan reported Saturday that the hikers made it out safely on their own, but he said he found out later that they instead had to wait until morning.

The hikers first called for help 12:30 p.m. when one of them became separated. The group eventually reunited and began to hike back toward the valley  but couldn’t make it out, Chan said. They hiked out on their own sometime this morning.