KAILUA-KONA — A female was hospitalized Tuesday after jumping into the ocean from the cliffs at South Point.
Hawaii Fire Department personnel were dispatched to the scene shortly before noon after receiving a report of a female swimmer in distress at the southern-most point of Hawaii Island.
The victim, whose age was unavailable, had jumped into the water at the popular spot but was unable to scale the 40-foot ladder back onto the cliff because she was having “trouble” with her lower limbs, said East Hawaii Battalion Chief Matthias Kusch.
Using Chopper 2, rescue personnel plucked the female from the water. Because of the distance from South Point to the nearest hospital, Kusch said she was subsequently flown to Kona Community Hospital for medical care. No additional information was immediately available on the female’s condition.
The South Point Landing area is a popular spot listed in several social media and tourist web pages; however, the area is not safe for jumping or diving into the water. Warning signs are posted prohibiting jumping or diving into the water.