The 38-year-old Maui resident was in serious condition with neck and back injuries after falling 20 feet onto rocks below a waterfall near Kailua in East Maui.

The Maui Fire Department reported that the man was airlifted to Maui Memorial Medical Center at about 5 p.m. Sunday, officials said.

Firefighters responded shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday but had trouble finding the injured party. A caller could only say that the waterfall was near mile marker 6 of Hana Highway on the ocean side.

The victim was finally spotted at about 4:15 p.m., floating face-up in a freshwater pond about a half-mile makai of Hana Highway, near the ocean, officials said.

The department’s Air 1 helicopter lowered rescuers to the victim who was lying at the bottom of a 60-foot waterfall. He was airlifted to a pasture near the Commando Trailhead off of the Hana Highway, where the man was treated by paramedics.

Authorities said the victim and a small group of friends had hiked to the waterfall and were swimming in some ponds. The man, they said, was climbing down the side of the waterfall when he slipped, falling 20 feet onto the rocks below.

One person stayed with the victim while the rest of the party hiked out to call authorities.