Coast Guard, partners suspend search for two after helicopter crash

Published on July 14, 2024

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard and County of Kaua‘i suspended their search for the two missing individuals from the helicopter crash off the Na Pali Coast, Kaua‘i, Sunday.

The Coast Guard and the County of Kaua‘i suspended its search at 2 p.m., Sunday, for two people who went missing after a helicopter crashed one-quarter mile off the Na Pali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii, Thursday.

Missing are 69-year-old Guy Croydon, pilot of the helicopter, and 60-year-old James Quintua, one of the passengers. The other passenger, 53-year-old Amy Nichole Ruark Quintua, was recovered unresponsive by Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau lifeguards Thursday.

Rescue crews searched for approximately 60 hours, covering more than 830 square miles.

“We would like to thank our Kauai County partners for their professionalism and organization, which have made this unified response very effective,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Kristen Hahn, search and rescue mission coordinator with Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “While this event has been a tragedy for both the families and the community, I am reassured that our responders have been able to collect some debris and exhaust our search efforts, which may provide closure for everyone involved.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of Guy Croydon, and James and Amy Nichole Ruark Quintua,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “We are truly grateful for the committed efforts of our search and rescue teams, partnering agencies, and community during this operation.”

The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the cause of the crash.

Involved in and supporting the search were:

•              Coast Guard Sector Honolulu

•              Coast Guard District Fourteen

•              Coast Guard Station Kauai

•              Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point

•              Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak

•              Coast Guard Regional Dive Locker Pacific

•              Kaua‘i Fire Department

•              Kaua‘i Police Department

•              Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau

•              Hawai‘i National Guard

•              Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency

•              Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency

•              Life’s Bridges Hawai‘i 

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