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Honolulu Fire Department airlifts pair of lost hikers and dog from Manana Trail

Nina Wu

Honolulu firefighters airlifted two lost hikers and their dog from the Manana Trail in Pearl City on Monday night.

The Honolulu Fire Department received a 911 call at 9:16 p.m. for the lost hikers, a 29-year-old male and 24-year-old female — both residents — who said they had been hiking for four hours with their dog before becoming disoriented and lost. Five units and 16 personnel responded.

Rescuers contacted the hikers by phone and determined that they were still a fair distance from the trailhead. The first HFD crew arrived at the scene at 9:33 p.m., and prepared for aerial rescue operations.

The lost hikers only had 25% battery life left on their cell phone when they called.

HFD’s Air 3 helicopter was able to locate the lost hikers following an aerial search, and a rescue specialist was lowered onto the trail at about 10 p.m.

HFD airlifted both hikers and their dog to a landing zone at Pearl City High School. There were no reports of injuries.

HFD reminds hikers to learn about the trail you intend to explore and its degree of difficulty before setting out, as well as knowing what your turnaround time should be. Hikers should also make sure their cell phones are fully charged, with an external back-up battery, in case of an emergency.

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