Firefighters completed a seven-hour rescue of a father and his young son early Thursday morning on a trail behind Dillingham Airfield.

The Mililani man called for help about 8 p.m. after getting stuck overlooking a cliff face while trying to take a shortcut back to his vehicle, said Honolulu Fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

The pair was hiking the same trail that visiting Norwegian professor Are Hjorungnes had strayed from before falling to his death while trying to take a short cut back to his vehicle on May 14.

Seelig said the man, who is in his 40s, and his son, who is under 7, began hiking Kealia Trail about noon Wednesday. They reached the ridge overlooking Makua Valley and were returning to the trailhead when they left the switchback trail.

Seelig said the hikers were trying to take a straight shot to their vehicle, which they could see from their location, but came upon a sheer drop and could not climb back up the steep terrain to the trail. The man called for help after dark.