A teenage boy who fell into the water while fishing along the cliffs Thursday afternoon at MacKenzie State Recreation Area in lower Puna was rescued by county Fire and Rescue personnel, including a county helicopter.
According to a Fire Department statement, 11 units, including the chopper, responded to a 4:42 p.m. alarm of a swimmer in distress with the first unit arriving at 5:01 p.m.
A Pohoiki lifeguard who reported the incident was able to make it out to the 16-year-old and give him a rescue buoy. When the helicopter arrived, it deployed a rescue swimmer into the water and assisted the teen and the lifeguard into a Billy Pugh net.
The chopper took them ashore and a waiting ambulance took the teen to Hilo Medical Center for further evaluation after initial treatment on scene for hypothermia, exhaustion and near drowning.