Three Crash Victims Hospitalized Overnight 05-18-01

HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HAMAKUA PATROL DISTRICT
OFFICER JESSE KERR
PHONE: 775-7535
MAY 18, 2001
G-68001

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE

A pilot and his four passengers were rescued from waters off Pauuilo after their charter twin-engine prop plane was forced to ditch into the ocean Friday morning (May 18, 2001).

The pilot and four passengers quickly got out of the plane before it sank and were rescued from the water by fire rescue personnel. The pilot and his passengers, two couples, were taken to the North Hawaii Community Hospital.

Injured were the pilot, Michael Lauro, 47, of Kailua-Kona; Joseph Rhett Varnadore, 39, and Ruth Varnadore, 36, both of San Leondo, California; and Marco Greca, 30, and Adrianne Greca, 27, both of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Three of the passengers, Adrianne Greca and the Varnadores, were held overnight for observation. Adrianne Greca was hospitalized with a broken back.

Police had responding to an 8:25 a.m. call from the Federal Aviation Administration learned that a twin-engine Skymaster had ditched into the ocean off the Paauilo Mill.

The plane, belonging to the Mokulele Flight Service, had taken off from Kona at 7 a.m. and had planned to do a two-hour tour of the Big Island.

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