Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Emergency Services helped rescue a male paddle boarder, who fell off his board and become unresponsive in the ocean near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport today.

HFD said it received a 911 call about 2:12 p.m that a stand-up paddle boarder was in distress at Keehi Lagoon. Four HFD rescue units carrying 12 first responders were dispatched, and one firefighter paddled out to the approximately 40-year-old victim, who was unresponsive.

HFD said witnesses reported that the man had fallen off his paddle board, and began crying for help. Nearby airfoil surfers told firefighters that they heard the man’s cries and called 911. The airfoil surfers told firefighters that it took them three to five minutes to reach the man, who by then was unresponsive. The airfoil surfers placed the man on a paddle board and began CPR.

Once firefighters reached the man, they placed him on a rescue board and paddled back to shore. Ocean Safety personnel picked up the firefighter and the victim and gave them a ride back to shore on a jet ski.

Fire crews preformed CPR on the victim until an EMS unit arrived. Paramedics administered life saving treatment and transported the man to a nearby hospital.