Missing hiker's body found above Nu'uanu

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

The body of a hiker missing since Monday was found today on the ledge of a waterfall above Nu'uanu Reservoir.

Daniel Levey of Hawai'i Kai, a 19-year-old student at the University of Oregon who was home for the summer, was identified by his parents, retired oncologist Dr. Norman and Dr. Joyce Levey. Friends of the Levey family had secured the use of a private helicopter and were prepared to continue searching this weekend if the Honolulu Fire Department suspended its effort yesterday after four-plus days, said family friend Linda Armstrong.

HFD spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada said a helicopter spotted the body shortly before 11 a.m.

"It was on a ledge about 150 feet from the top of a waterfall," Tejada said. "From the ledge to the base of the waterfall is another 200 feet. It would appear that he fell because climbing down to where the body was would have been difficult."

Levey was reported missing Monday at about 8 p.m. when he failed to return from a hike of the Mau'umae Trail above Maunalani Heights. The trail leads to two summits, one of them being Lanipo which overlooks Ka'au Crater. The hiker reportedly told his mother that he wanted to photograph the crater, said Mabel Kekina of the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club, which provided volunteer help in searching for Levey.

The search was expanded to the western ridges above Manoa and Pauoa valleys on Thursday.