Wreckage of missing helicopter found in Hawaii

The last contact with the helicopter was made at approximately 4:40 pm on December 26

This photo provided by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources shows a Coast Guard search and rescue team looking over Napali Coast State Wilderness Park for a tour Helicopter that disappeared in Hawaii with seven people aboard on December 27, 2019.

The wreckage of a helicopter that went missing in Hawaii with seven people on board has been found, authorities said on Friday.

“The crash site of the helicopter missing since Thursday afternoon has been confirmed in Kokee near Nualolo,” the county of Kauai said in a statement that did not specify the fate of those on board.

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Operations continue and we are doing everything we can at this time ,” said Kauai's mayor, Derek Kawakami.

“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these passengers,” Mr. Kawakami said.

Authorities were notified that an aircraft from Safari Helicopters, which had been on a tour over the Na Pali area, was missing at around 6:00 pm on December 26.

“The last contact with the helicopter was made at approximately 4:40 pm, when the pilot relayed that the tour was leaving the Waimea Canyon area,” the statement said.

The Coast Guard, local police and fire departments and other agencies then launched a search for the missing helicopter.

Kauai - Hawaii's fourth-largest island - features sharp mountain peaks, jagged cliffs and tropical rainforests.