JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing members rescued five distressed boaters stuck in sea ice June 16 about 10 miles east of Deering on the Kotzebue Sound.
The boaters used a very high frequency (VHF) radio to call for help. Deering residents received the call and contacted the Alaska State Troopers.
The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC) at JBER opened the mission and requested support from the 176th Wing after receiving a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers.
The 176th Wing search and rescue duty officer dispatched a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk and a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II, both with 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen (PJs) onboard.
The HC-130 provided weather reconnaissance and air-to-air refueled the HH-60 three times to extend its range for the more than 1,000-mile round trip.
Once the helicopter crew located the boat, the Pave Hawk special mission aviator hoisted two PJs to make contact with the boaters before hoisting them into the helicopter.
The Pave Hawk crew flew the boaters to Deering, where they were released to the community’s search and rescue president.
Alaska Air National Guard Lt. Col. Allan Sain, AKRCC director, credited the boaters with having long-range communications.
“We always advise people going into the outdoors to have two-way satellite communications devices because cellphone coverage is spotty in the state,” Sain said. “But long-range radio is still an effective way to communicate in Alaska when you need help.”