16-year-old stranded on rocks in ‘dangerous surf’ in Hawaii, rescuers say

A 16-year-old girl got stranded on rocks “surrounded by dangerous surf” in Hawaii, officials said.

The teen from O’ahu was rescued on Monday, March 14 at Queen’s Bath, an area that’s been closed to the public since October because of the high surf during the winter, County of Kaua’i officials said.

Rescuers and a helicopter crew rushed to help the girl.

“In between dangerous sets of waves, a Hanalei firefighter, who had hiked down to the scene, swam over to the victim and brought her to safety without further incident,” officials said in a news release.

The girl had deep cuts on her skin, officials said. Her injuries were non-life threatening, and she declined treatment. She was released to her family, according to county officials.

“This incident could have easily turned into a devastating outcome,” Fire Chief Steven Goble said in a news release. “Queen’s Bath remains closed for a reason, and we urge all beachgoers to take these warnings seriously, for yourself and for our first responders who also put their lives at risk.”

Queen’s Bath is a tidal pool in Princeville and part of an out-and-back trail, according to hiking website AllTrails. It’s considered to be “moderately challenging.”

“Even just standing in the area is dangerous, as you can get swept out to sea,” AllTrails reported. “The gates are closed when the area is expecting high surf — do not go around the gates!”

This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 12:30 PM with the headline "16-year-old stranded on rocks in ‘dangerous surf’ in Hawaii, rescuers say."