Kaua‘i police identify visitor who died after falling at Hanakāpī‘ai Falls

The Kaua‘i Police Department identified a 30-year-old man who died at Hanakāpī‘ai Falls in Hāʻena on Sunday as Matthew Wu of New York.

First responders received a report of a male falling off Hanakāpī‘ai Falls Trail at approximately 11:45 a.m. The hiker fell off the trail and was found approximately 30 feet below Hanakāpī‘ai Falls, according to police.

Personnel with the Kaua‘i Fire Department and Air 1 assisted in recovering the victim. The investigation is ongoing and an autopsy is pending.

“The Kauaʻi Police Department would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Wu,” said Kennison Nagahisa, Acting Captain of KPD’s Investigative Services Bureau.

Volunteers with Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, and the Visitor Aloha Society of Kauaʻi (VASK), a nonprofit that provides emergency needs for visitors, are assisting the victim’s family.

Portions of the Hanakāpī‘ai Falls Trail are very narrow and the dropoff is severe. The Kauaʻi Police Department would like to remind the public to use caution when hiking Kauaʻi’s trails, especially in wet weather.