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Big isle diver rescued after falling 50 feet off cliff

Jason Genegabus

Eleven units from the Hawaii County Fire Department staffed by 19 firefighters — including the department’s Chopper 1 and Rescue Boat 2 — responded to rescue an injured diver on the Big Island who fell off a cliff on Saturday.

HFD said it received an alarm call at 4:50 p.m. Saturday and responded to a portion of the shoreline on Hawaii Belt Road near the 18-mile marker of Mamalahoa Highway. Crews were on scene 19 minutes later and confirmed a male diver had fallen approximately 50 feet into the ocean.

After determining the diver’s exact location in the water, Chopper 1 extricated the man and transported him to shore to awaiting paramedics.

The man was treated at the scene and later transported to Hilo Medical Center in critical condition, according to HFD.

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