1 visitor dead, 11 injured in Honolulu Harbor crash

Apr. 13—Paramedics responded to the incident at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 2 cruise ship terminal after 10 :20 a.m. and treated victims ranging in age from their 40s to 70s, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services

A 68-year-old Illinois woman, who was on a Carnival cruise with her husband to celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary, died Friday at The Queen's Medical Center after she was hit by a tourist shuttle bus when the driver confused the gas pedal for the brakes. The collision also injured 11 other people.

Paramedics responded to the incident at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 2 cruise ship terminal after 10 :20 a.m. and treated victims ranging in age from their 40s to 70s, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services. The injuries ranged from life-threatening to lacerations, EMS said.

The 68-year-old woman was treated for life-threatening injuries and taken in critical condition to a hospital, according to EMS. Honolulu police confirmed that the woman later was pronounced dead.

She was traveling with her husband, who "was also injured and is expected to recover, " according to a statement from Carnival Cruise Line.

The woman's identity is being withheld pending notification of family members, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner's office.

Jessica Lani Rich, president and CEO of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, which helps visitors in crisis, said VASH is assisting the woman's husband, and a cousin and her husband who were traveling with them from Illinois. Rich said the cousin and her husband were celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary.

"This was the Hawaii vacation of their lifetime. The victim had always dreamed of coming to Hawaii, " Rich said.

Rich said the two couples said they were waiting to get on the shuttle to go shopping "when it all happened so quickly."

"It's such a shock to be on your dream vacation and within a minute your whole life changes, " she said. "They said the victim was loving and caring and helpful, and that they can't believe that she's gone."

Rich said VASH was at the emergency room with the woman's family and is providing bereavement support and assisting them with transportation arrangements.

"They don't want to continue the cruise, " Rich said. "They just want to go back home."

Rich said VASH also has reached out to offer support to other visitors who were injured in the accident.

VASH is able to provide support to visitors due to funding from the Hawai 'i Tourism Authority, Hawaii's visitor industry and other partners.

HTA board Chair Mufi Hannemann said, "Visitors who meet with unfortunate circumstances can count on VASH. That's why HTA continues to be a major supporter of VASH's mission throughout the state of Hawaii."

Hannemann also expressed his condolences to the woman's family for "this tragic loss, " and added, "we continue to wish for a speedy recovery for those that were injured as a result of this incident."

Police said that at about 10 :24 a.m., a 57-year-old male driver had dropped off customers at Pier 2 and was notified by a bystander that his vehicle was moving forward.

He "jumped in the driver's seat and attempted to stop the vehicle (but ) pressed the gas pedal instead of the brakes and collided with two concrete barriers and five pedestrians, " according to a report by the Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division Vehicular Homicide Section.

HPD said speed does not appear to be a factor in the collision, but it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol were factors. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

EMS said two men and two women, ranging in age from 55 to 67, were taken in serious condition to a hospital, while a man in his 70s was treated and was in stable condition.

In addition, EMS said, paramedics treated six more adult patients ranging in age from their 40s to 70s at the scene, but they declined to be taken to a hospital.

Police said three pedestrians were taken to The Queen's Medical Center and two others to Tripler Medical Center.

Nine of the victims, including the woman who died, were guests on the Carnival Miracle cruise ship, which is on a 15-day sailing that departed Long Beach, Calif., on April 6.

"Members of the Carnival Care Team are assisting the guests. Our thoughts are with the guests affected and their loved ones, " Carnival said in a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

The shuttle was labeled as a Hilo Hattie express shopping shuttle. Hilo Hattie did not immediately respond to a call from the Star-Advertiser.