By Canadian Press

Canadian man drives off Hawaiian cliff, falls from wreck, washes out to sea, survives

Feb 28, 2024 | 4:55 PM

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — A Canadian tourist in Hawaii has survived a disastrous sequence of events after he took a wrong turn while trying to watch the sunrise, drove off a cliff, fell out of the wreck and was washed out to sea.

Hawaii Island Fire Chief Kazuo Todd says the man was driving a rented Jeep SUV early Sunday when he drove off a dirt trail on Hawaii’s Big Island. 

He says the 27-year-old Canadian was near the southern tip of the island trying to find somewhere to watch the sunrise when he drove off the edge, not far from the popular South Point diving cliff, crashing onto rocks below.

Todd says the man crawled out of the wreck only to plunge into the ocean.

He says a spearfishermen called the fire department around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, and rescuers located the driver floating about 100 metres offshore. 

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Todd says the driver suffered minor cuts and hypothermia and was released from hospital after being treated.

One of the spearfishermen, Mike Moody, shared photos showing the wrecked SUV at the foot of the 15-metre cliff. 

Todd says his team brought the driver to safety by using high-angle rope systems to pull him up the cliff.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2024. 

The Canadian Press