Mother Nature can be beautiful, majestic, and tranquil. But it can also be deadly. Officials are dubbing a popular tourist a death trap after more than two dozen people have died there over the years.
We're of course talking about the tourist spot Wailuku River on the Big Island of Hawaii. Within the past three decades, 27 people have died. Although it appears tranquil with its iconic Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, the river hides a deadly current underneath. Additionally, sudden flash floods can transform the river into a tempest.
Officials have warning signs for hikers to stay on the trails and also behind railings. But some have ignored these warnings to their own peril. If you're visiting Hawaii, don't become one of the 27 people who've died.
Tourist Spot Is Deadly
In 2017, a California couple drowned after getting swept away by a current at the tourist spot. Authorities launched a search and rescue effort for the couple, finding 62-year-old Gladys Novinger beneath the falls. Her husband 61-year-old George Novinger was missing until December 1. That's when authorities found his body at the base of a cliff.
That wasn't the end of the fatalities either. In 2022, 37-year-old Adam David Broom died after getting swept over Rainbow Falls. Meanwhile, just this past September, 42-year-old Stanley Walker II died at the tourist spot. Currents swept him under the rapids at Boiling Pots.
The same thing that causes Boiling Pots to have its iconic bubble is also a danger to swimmers. Hawaii County Councilmember Jennifer Kagiwada spoke with SF Gate about the deaths. She said, "Since about half the deaths in this part of the river were visitors and half locals, it is important that everyone becomes aware of the dangers here. Some very strong swimmers have died, along with visitors with fewer water skills."
Meanwhile, Hawaii Fire Department Chief Kazuo Todd says that more public education is needed to warn tourists about the area.
"Educating friends, family, relatives that are visiting, or even just people getting off of various ships that are coming to port as part of the tour operations," Todd told Hawaii News Now.
Right now, Hawaii is proposing adding more signs to the area. However, whether people will heed the signs remains an issue for the spot.
