Pair injured after going over falls near Piihonua Bridge

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Two people were rescued Thursday afternoon after they went over falls near Piihonua Bridge near Hilo, the Hawaii Fire Department reported.

The man and woman were wading in waist-deep water when they got too close to the whitewater and were pulled over, a spokesman for the department said.

Both were found in a pool near the whitewater at 2:10 p.m., the report said, and could not get out because of their injuries.

Two rescue divers went into the pool by helicopter and aided the patients into an evacuation net. They were airlifted out of the pool and transferred to an ambulance, the report said.

The patients were then taken to Hilo Medical Center in stable condition, the report said.

There were 11 people from the fire department involved in the rescue, the report said, using six different vehicles.

The last fire department unit was in quarters by 3:07 p.m.