2 Rescued from Queen’s Bath

Two Utah visitors, aged 48 and 22, were rescued at Queen’s Bath in Princeville Thursday morning.

First responders were dispatched to a report of two people in distress at Queen’s Bath at approximately 8:45 a.m.

Hanalei firefighters, American Medical Response, Rescue 3 aboard Air 1, and lifeguards with the North Roving Patrol Unit responded to the incident.

According to preliminary reports from Ocean Safety Bureau personnel, the two visitors were swept into waters off Queen’s Bath. A bystander took action and threw a rescue tube at the father and son. Shortly after, lifeguards from the North Roving Patrol Unit located the swimmers and transported them to the Hanalei boat ramp. With the visitors located by OSB personnel, Rescue 3 and Air 1 response was canceled.

The two visitors suffered scrapes and were later tended to by medics. They later declined transport to a local hospital.

The scene was cleared at approximately 9:40 a.m.

The access gate to Queen’s Bath has been closed to the public since October 2021 for the high surf winter season. The gate remains closed until further notice.

“I’m thankful for the response of the bystander who threw the rescue tube, our OSB personnel who were on the scene quickly, and our firefighters who coordinated this rescue,” said Kaua‘i Fire Department Chief Steven Goble. “These two visitors are fortunate to leave with their lives when so many others at Queen’s Bath have not.”

Developed and maintained by the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association with many generous sponsors and dedicated on-site maintainers, the rescue tube program has been on Kaua‘i for over a decade and has been instrumental in over 150 reported rescues and countless unseen incidents.

Rescue tubes are personal flotation devices designed to protect rescuers and stabilize distressed swimmers before rescue by lifeguards becomes available, according to the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association. There are over 200 rescue tubes around Kaua‘i – many of which are at beaches without lifeguard supervision.

For up-to-date information about Kaua‘i ocean conditions and ocean safety, please speak to a county lifeguard at any lifeguard station, visit www.hawaiibeachsafety.com, or call the Ocean Safety Bureau at 241-4984.