Hawai'i briefs

Advertiser Staff

Ailing crewman flown to O'ahu

The Coast Guard yesterday participated in the rescue of a man off a fishing vessel near Midway Island after the man became ill.

The crew of the Koto Buki Maru 38 called for Coast Guard assistance Friday night because they feared a fellow crewmember, 57-year-old Hisao Oukubo, was suffering internal bleeding.

A Coast Guard C-130 arranged a rendezvous at Midway Island at 3 p.m. yesterday and flew the man to O'ahu. He was being treated at Kuakini Medical Center.

NORTH SHORE

Surf cameraman seriously injured

A water photographer taking pictures of surfers in action at Pipeline yesterday was injured when a surfer's board hit him in the head.

Lifeguards went out into the water and used a back board to stabilized the man, who was reporting numbness in his legs, said Ocean Safety Capt. Bodo Van Der Leeden.

Lifeguard Brendan Shea took the man on the board into Sunset Beach on a water ski, and Emergency Medical Services took him to Sunset Beach Elementary School by ambulance. He was then flown to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition, said Jason Kaneshiro of Emergency Medical Services.

WINDWARD

O'ahu Marine dies in Michigan

A Marine stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in Kane'ohe was killed in a traffic accident yesterday in Grand Haven, Mich. Cpl. Cory West, 21, was with his family in Grand Haven on holiday leave when the accident occurred.

The Grand Haven County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui van crash kills 1, injures 1

Police have identified a man who was killed and a woman who was critically injured Thursday night in the crash of a van at Honoa-pi'ilani and Kuihelani highways.

Maui police said Joseph Villarimo, 58, of Hana, was pronounced dead at Maui Memorial Medical Center at 10:37 p.m., after the 1989 Dodge van he was riding in veered off Honoapi'ilani Highway and knocked over two traffic signal poles.

The driver, Barbara Clarkson, 62, was transferred from Maui Memorial Medical Center to The Queen's Medical Center with critical injuries, Lt. Jeff Tanoue said.

Clarkson, who is from British Columbia, and Villarimo were recently married, Tanoue said.

3 Big Isle parks to close on Eve

Three state parks on the Big Island will close early New Year's Eve to prevent use of fireworks in the parks. Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, Kekaha Kai State Park and the Old Kona Airport Park will close at 6 p.m. Dec. 31. For more information, call the Hawai'i district office at 974-6219.