Missing teen kayaker found off Waikiki, brought to shore by good Samaritan

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A missing teen kayaker has been located and is now under Honolulu Emergency Medical Services’ care, the Honolulu Fire Department confirmed early Thursday morning.
Honolulu EMS said paramedics administered advanced life support to the 17-year-old boy for “exhaustion, dehydration, exertion and cold exposure.”
He was listed in serious condition.
Officials said at approximately 4:20 a.m. Thursday, a USCG C-130 spotted the kayaker offshore fronting the Waikiki Natatorium and marked his location with a flare.
According to HFD, a good Samaritan boater brought the teen kayaker back to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.
HFD units and assets from the State of Hawaii Airports Division and U.S. Coast Guard searched for the missing kayaker through the night.
It was reported that a male in his teens was kayaking with a group that had planned to kayak from the Ala Wai Channel to Diamond Head and back around 4 p.m. Wednesday.
“They encountered a little bit of strong wind, so they turned around and headed back,” said HFD Capt. Dean Baldeviso, who added that the winds were strong enough to flip some of the single-person kayaks over.
“On their way back, they realized that they were missing a kayaker,” he said.
First responders were called at 6:28 p.m., according to HFD. The first crews arrived at 6:35 p.m. and begin a search of the shoreline in the area from the Ala Wai Boat Harbor through parts of Waikiki.
The fire department had 13 units with about 39 personnel involved in searching a large area.
“I know our search companies have run out to about three and a half miles offshore,” said Capt. Baldeviso. “We also do have assets from State Airports rescue and firefighting as well as the Coast Guard assisting in the search as well.”
Both of the fire department’s helicopters were involved in the search, along with several rescue boats. Magic Island was used as a landing and refueling zone for the helicopters.
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