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    Alaska Air Guardsmen conduct mission to rescue stranded hikers on glacier

    Alaska Air Guardsmen conduct mission to rescue stranded hikers on glacier

    Photo By Edward Eagerton | Lt. Col. John Morse, deputy director of the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, points...... read more read more

    JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

    04.09.2015

    Story by Staff Sgt. Edward Eagerton 

    176th Wing Public Affairs

    JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th, 211th, and 212th Rescue Squadrons and the 144th Airlift Squadron are continuing to work Thursday to rescue three hikers stranded on the Knik Glacier.

    The group of climbers was dropped off April 3, but were not able to make their scheduled pick up two days later on Sunday because of weather conditions.

    “They’re stuck at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation,” said Lt. Col. John Morse, deputy director of the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.

    The climbers were forced to take shelter in an ice cave after high winds damaged their tent, Morse said. They were able to text a friend using a DeLorme inReach device that has satellite-based two-way texting capabilities. The friend was able to contact Alaska State Troopers around 11 p.m. Tuesday, who then contacted the RCC for support because of the terrain and weather conditions.

    “The friend has been working directly with us to help facilitate communications,” Morse explained.

    The Alaska Air National Guard accepted the mission and launched an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 210th Rescue Squadron and an HC-130 King aircraft from the 211th Rescue Squadron, both with a team of Guardian Angels from the 212th Rescue Squadron on board, out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Wednesday morning.

    “However, weather conditions have precluded our ability to reach the climbers,” explained Morse.

    Multiple attempts were made to reach the climbers, including one this morning and again this afternoon, Morse said. All attempts were unsuccessful due to darkness and diminished visibility because of low cloud ceilings. Additionally, the HH-60 attempted to insert a team of Guardian Angels into the area, who planned to make their way on foot to the climbers’ location, but the helicopter was not able to get close enough to drop them off.

    Realizing the urgency in the situation, the 144th Airlift Squadron was tasked with conducting an airdrop mission in an attempt to resupply the hikers. From JBER on Wednesday, the 144th Airlift Squadron launched a C-130 Hercules aircraft loaded with parachute-rigged bundles of food, fuel and shelter, Morse said.

    “They dropped three bundles over two passes, but the climbers were unable to reach any of them,” Morse said. “They’re typically not seeing the ground, flying in instrument conditions, surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks, attempting to drop supplies to the climbers who are stuck at 8,500 feet. This is a pretty complicated mission.”

    The Alaska Air National Guard is preparing another bundle to attempt to drop to the climbers, this one including a radio. This capability would put the climbers in direct communication with the aircraft attempting to extricate them from their location.

    This is an ongoing mission.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.09.2015
    Date Posted: 04.09.2015 17:27
    Story ID: 159565
    Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US

    Web Views: 1,061
    Downloads: 0

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