Dad, son swept to sea from closed Hawaii beach, officials say. Onlooker rushed to help

A father and son were swept out to sea on their trip to Hawaii from Utah, officials told news outlets.

The two men, ages 22 and 48, visited Queen’s Bath in Princeville on the island of Kauai Thursday, April 21, according to The Garden Island.

The tourists were swept into the rough waters, according to the Star-Advertiser.

An onlooker rushed to help them by throwing a rescue tube into the water, the news outlet reported.

Lifeguards arrived at the scene shortly after and rescued the two men from the water, according to Kaui Now. The father and son were taken to a boat ramp with scrapes.

They declined transportation to a hospital, the news outlet reported.

“I’m thankful for the response of the bystander who threw the rescue tube, our (Ocean Safety Bureau) personnel who were on the scene quickly, and our firefighters who coordinated this rescue,” Kauai Fire Department Chief Steven Goble told the Star-Advertiser. “These two visitors are fortunate to leave with their lives when so many others at Queen’s Bath have not.”

Queen’s Bath is a tidal pool that’s part of an out-and-back trail, McClatchy News previously reported. It’s considered to be “moderately challenging.”

“Even just standing in the area is dangerous, as you can get swept out to sea,” hiking website AllTrails reported. “The gates are closed when the area is expecting high surf — do not go around the gates!”

The area has been closed to the public since October because of its high surf during the winter, County of Kaua’i officials said.

In March, a 16-year-old girl was stranded on rocks “surrounded by dangerous surf” at Queen’s Bath, McClatchy News reported. The teen was rescued by a helicopter crew.

This story was originally published April 24, 2022 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Dad, son swept to sea from closed Hawaii beach, officials say. Onlooker rushed to help."