On Sunday, April 12, the Coast Guard crew rescued three adults and one child after their 18-foot boat became trapped in shifting ice about 10 miles west of Chefornak. The group had been stranded for over 24 hours during a subsistence seal hunting trip.
After freeing their vessel overnight, they attempted to reach help from a shore party using snow machines, but moving ice blocked their path. A helicopter and airplane were dispatched from Air Station Kodiak, with the helicopter arriving early Sunday morning after refueling stops.
All four individuals were safely airlifted and returned to Chefornak without injuries.
Lieutenant Commander Alexis Chavarria-Aguilar, pilot-in-command for the helicopter, commented on the rescue mission, “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.”
At Injury At Sea, we are grateful that all four people were rescued safely.
Contact an Experienced Maritime Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you have been injured at sea, it is recommended that you speak with an experienced maritime personal injury attorney.
Injury at Sea has more than 80 years of combined experience representing clients located in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and California in various maritime injury-related cases.
Contact our maritime attorneys – Jim Gooding or Matt Cole – today for a free consultation at 1-800-SEA-SALT.