KEY POINTS

  • Wreckage of missing Eurocopter AS 350 B2 found on the east side of the Kauai island
  • Helicopter had 7 on board, including pilot and 2 children
  • Those on board were from 2 families: Kauai Fire Department Battalion Chief Solomon Kanoho
  • Search operations continue for possible survivors

The wreckage of the tour helicopter that went missing in Hawaii with seven people Thursday evening was found by rescuers and a search is on for possible survivors.

The wreckage of the single-engined Eurocopter AS 350 B2 was sighted from the air at approximately 09.30 a.m. Friday in a mountainous area on the east side of the Kauai island, local reports said. The crash site was in Kokee, about 13 miles north of Hanapepe, Hawaii Local News said. Most of Kauai is uninhabited, information available on the Internet suggests.

Solomon Kanoho, the Battalion Chief with the Kauai Fire Department, told a media briefing Friday that ground and air crews were continuing the search for survivors. "At this time we have no actionable information on the status of the passengers," he said, adding his department is in the process of identifying the passengers and establishing contact with their family members.

The passengers' names have not been released.

In reply to questions, Kanoho said there were two different sets of family members on board the crashed helicopter -- a party of two and another party of four.

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami told the briefing: “First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these passengers. Operations continue and we are doing everything we can at this time.”

Kawakami added that information from the search was still trickling in Friday afternoon.

The helicopter was on a tour of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast when it went missing. Those on board included the pilot and two children.

The FAA said it will it will investigate the cause of the crash along with the NTSB.

The last contact with the helicopter was around 4.40 p.m. Thursday when the tour was leaving the Waimea Canyon area. The aircraft, belonging to Safari Helicopters, was due to return to Lihue at around 5.30 in the evening. It was reported missing at 6 p.m. when it failed to show up and a search was launched.

A U.S. Coast Guard-coordinated rescue effort that involved the police and fire departments and the U.S. Navy was then launched a search for the missing aircraft, chief Kanoho said.

Although the helicopter was equipped with a locator, no signals were received, reports said.

(This article will be updated when more information becomes available.)

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