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Here we go again! This is the worst one recently, but surprisingly, it's not that uncommon an event at Volcanoes National Park...
Quote:
Man injured in fall is rescued
A man who survived falling 115 feet at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was rescued by park rangers Tuesday after being stranded overnight. Park officials said 73-year-old Harry Osachy of Kurtistown had been climbing over a barrier Monday when he fell down a sheer cliff behind Volcano House in the park.
About 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, a hiker reported to park rangers that she heard someone crying for help along Halemaumau Trail among thick vegetation. Rangers found Osachy, and the park’s search and rescue coordinator was lowered by helicopter and pulled him to safety just before nightfall. He was taken by ambulance to Hilo Medical Center with injuries to his pelvis and shoulder. He had numerous scrapes and was suffering from dehydration. “Luckily, he landed in a dense thicket of native uluhe fern, which broke his fall,” park search and rescue coordinator John Broward said.
My neighbor the park ranger told me the following is even more common... people going over the barriers to look down into steam vents... even though you can pass out from breathing the concentrated fumes... here is the account of a bad one from a couple of months ago...
Quote:
Boy 'lucky to be alive' after fall into volcano steam vent
A 15-year-old boy from San Rafael, Calif. is “lucky to be alive,” after falling 20 to 25 feet into a steam vent at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Wednesday night, the National Park Service said in a news release today. The boy apparently leaped over a protective railing at the steam vent near the Volcano House and visitors center, the park service said.
...
The National Park Service said the steam rising from the vent is formed when rain water encounters hot rocks. The steam temperature in the vent can reach 160 degrees, cooling to 120 degrees at the surface.
Apparently " common sense" is not something that people pack when they go on vacation. Remember those tourists a couple of years ago who climbed over the barriers at the really high waterfalls in Yosemite and fell to their deaths?
It was the 12th drowning on Kauai this year. Statewide, 27 tourists have died this year while engaging in outdoor activities such as swimming or hiking, including 18 drownings
Hmm, wonder what percentage that is out of the thousands of folks who visit each year? There always seem to be some who just don't seem to think about dangerous stuff. Apparently, the edge of a cliff is considered as "safe" unless there is a warning sign of some sort on it. I don't think we have enough signs to put one on each edge we have around here. I've always thought it was the other way around, stay away from the edge of cliffs unless there is a sign saying it's safe.
Sometimes I think folks forget to pack their brains when going on vacation.
Sad. We were watching young guy harvesting opihi a couple weeks ago at the park around 8 miles from our home in Papaikou. Is this drowning in the same area? Guy we met was just trying to feed his family. Apparent Drowning Reported Near Honoka`a
A man picking opihi on the shoreline near Honoka`a apparently was swept into the ocean and drowned this afternoon.
A fire department helicopter arriving at an area known as Kawela’s off Waipio Road at 2 p.m. found the 27-year-old man unconscious and floating face down.
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