Man's body found on Crouching Lion trail

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Fire department rescue crews will return to the steep slopes above Kahana Valley today in an attempt to retrieve a body believed to be that of a 45-year-old man missing since Tuesday.

The search crew found the body on the Kahana Valley side of the Crouching Lion ridge trail at about 2:45 p.m. yesterday. Officer Phil Camero of Honolulu Police Department's Missing Persons Detail said the man apparently fell from the 1,650-foot level and was found about 100 feet below the trail.

But strong winds made the recovery effort hazardous and fire officials decided to wait until first light today to retrieve the body. HFD Capt. Emmit Kane said the muddy, narrow trail has sheer cliffs on both sides and officials did not want to put their personnel at risk yesterday.

The body was found about a mile from where a backpack containing the wallet of Phillip Milos was discovered by two hikers Monday afternoon. Milos was last seen Aug. 15 at his Kapi'olani Boulevard apartment, but was not reported missing.

Police and fire began a search along the trail Tuesday afternoon and continued their efforts Wednesday. Early Wednesday morning, Milos' car was found at the La'ie Shopping Center.

Because the body has not been recovered, Camero did not want to say that it was Milos.

Department of Land and Natural Resources personnel are assisting in the search and recovery.

Camero said foul play is not suspected in Milos' disappearance. Milos had recently moved to Hawai'i from the Mainland.