A group of four people who were trapped in their boat stuck in ice for more than a day, were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District, watchstanders received a report from Alaska State Troopers on Saturday afternoon about four people who were on a seal hunting expedition and needed assistance after their boat was trapped in ice for more than 24 hours.
The group was able to free their boat from the ice overnight, but was unable to reach the shore party waiting for them with snow machines due to moving ice.
A Coast Guard helicopter and airplane crew were dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, and they reached the boat at about 5 a.m. Sunday after needing to stop for fuel twice.
Three adults and one child were successfully rescued from the ice-trapped boat and hoisted aboard the helicopter to safety.
Video from the Coast Guard shows the rescue, with the people being pulled into the helicopter.
A rescuer stood on the ice near the boat, helping to load them into the rescue basket.
No one was injured, and they were transported back to the village of Chefornak.
“Our entire crew agreed this was one of the most challenging missions any of us had ever flown,” said Lt. Cmdr. Alexis Chavarria-Aguilar, pilot-in-command of the helicopter.
“We battled nearly every Alaska-centric aviation weather hazard imaginable, such as flying over 800 miles in near-zero visibility through mountainous terrain, blowing snow and icing conditions. The teamwork was on full display during the recovery of the survivors. It was a long, difficult night, but I’m so proud of everyone involved who worked seamlessly together to bring four people home safely.”
The Coast Guard said the hunting party had three forms of communication on board, including satellite-based communications, which made it easier for the Coast Guard to locate and rescue them.
The Coast Guard said it was 28° with 29 mph winds and nine miles of visibility at the time of the rescue.