Two women at a remote Kauai beach at Na Pali Coast State Park were rescued after a tour helicopter spotted "SOS" written in the sand.

The Navy says an aircrew was training off the west coast of Kauai when they were notified about the SOS Thursday  morning. The Naval aviators saw the distress message and flashes from a mirror. A Navy helicopter and a search-and-rescue swimmer were sent to rescue the women.

One of the women was ill and injured. Both were taken Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Kauai Visitors Bureau executive director Sue Kanoho says the remote beach is only accessible by hiking or from the water. She added that it was raining heavily in the area the night before.