Police hunt man who threw tourist off hiking trail

Police hunt man who threw tourist off hiking trail
Police hunt man who threw tourist off hiking trail

View from Kalalau Trail, Hawaii. Rex



Police on the Hawaiian island of Kauai are searching for a man who is believed to have thrown a Japanese tourist off a popular hiking trail on the North Shore on Sunday.

KITV.com reports that the holidaymaker was airlifted to a hospital on Sunday afternoon, where she remains in a critical condition.

Police are searching for 37-year-old Justin Wynn Klein on suspicion of attempted murder.

Witnesses reported that they saw him throw the woman from the trail that takes in the picturesque Na Pali Coast.

According to the Star Advertiser, Kauai police received a call at 4.40pm on Sunday of an injured female hiker in need of medical assistance. A Fire Department's helicopter airlifted the 31-year-old tourist from the site near Kalalau Beach to Princeville Airport. She was then transported to Wilcox Memorial Hospital in a critical condition.

Police said the hiker was camping in Kalalau with a friend.

Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, told the Star Advertiser: 'We are saddened about the incident involving a visitor from Japan who was allegedly assaulted while hiking on Kauai yesterday.'

'It's pretty shocking for the island of Kauai,' resident Joanie Lemi told KITV.com. 'It shouldn't be happening on Kauai. This is a place to just come out and relax.'

Officials closed access to the popular trail at Ke-e Beach on Monday and Tuesday while they conducted an investigation.

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