Hawaii helicopter crash victims: Remains of 6 people found in Kauai; one person still missing

Weather permitting, search teams in Hawaii say they will try on Saturday to locate the final person missing from a helicopter crash that killed at least six people during a tour of the island of Kauai.

There were no indications that any of the seven passengers survived the Thursday night crash on Kauai, Fire Battalion Chief Solomon Kanoho told reporters. Earlier, authorities said two of the touring passengers were believed to be minors. 

Six people’s remains were found at the site of the crash, but bad weather forced the search teams to suspend recovery efforts until dawn on Saturday, the Kauai police department said in a statement.

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, responders look over a map of the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on the Hawaiian island of Kauai on Friday, the day after a tour helicopter disappeared with seven people aboard. Authorities say wreckage of the helicopter has been found in a mountainous area on the island. (Photo: Sr. Chief Justin Shackleford, U.s. Coast Guard, viaAP)

“We are heartbroken by this tragedy, and we continue to ask the public to consider the sensitive nature of this devastating situation,” said Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all victims during this extremely difficult time.”

This Dec. 17, 2019, aerial photo shows the Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. The Coast Guard searched the area for a tour helicopter that disappeared on the Na Pali Coast with seven people aboard on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. (Photo: Maryclaire Dale, AP)

Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck said the remains were taken to Wilcox Hospital to begin the process of identifying the remains, the Honolulu Advertiser reported.

The helicopter went down as it was set to tour the island’s dramatic Na Pali Coast. Kauai, also known as “the Garden Island,” was featured in the movie “Jurassic Park.”

The helicopter company, identified as Safari Helicopters, notified the U.S. Coast Guard after the chopper failed to return at its scheduled time early Thursday evening.

Authorities did not receive any signals from the helicopter’s emergency electronic locator transmitter.

According to a preliminary report, the pilot said the tour was leaving the Waimea Canyon area, known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” about 4:40 p.m., which was the last contact with the helicopter, Kauai police said.

Authorities said the wreckage was found in a remote, inland part of Kokee, the sprawling, 7-square mile state park on the island’s western side.

Kanoho said he could not confirm that weather may have been a factor in the crash, but noted weather can change quickly along the coast from clear skies in the morning to fog in the afternoon.

Three people from the National Transportation Security Board were expected to arrive Saturday to investigate the crash.

Contributing: Associated Press

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