Kaua'i rescue copter goes down

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

A helicopter carrying a pilot and three Kaua'i Fire Department rescue crew members made a forced landing near Hanalei Bay yesterday afternoon, but no one was injured, officials said.

The chopper was en route to pick up a woman with a broken ankle, but apparently suffered a loss of power in a remote area and went down on land, a fire department spokesman said.

Damage to the helicopter, which was believed to have been chartered by the fire department for the rescue run, was not immediately known.

The Coast Guard launch-ed an H65 Dolphin helicopter from Barbers Point to respond to the original victim and to the downed chopper, Coast Guard spokesman Gary Openshaw said.

The fire department notified the Coast Guard of the situation at 5:12 p.m. yesterday. The Coast Guard helicopter was on scene about 7 p.m., picked up the firefighters and pilot and dropped them off at the Princeville Airport at 7:24 p.m. Because of darkness, rescuers were unable to get to the woman with the broken ankle, Openshaw said. She will be picked up at first light.