National Guard saves mariner near Kodiak

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON — Alaska Air National Guard 176th Wing members rescued a hypothermic mariner about 20 miles southwest of Kodiak Island May 30.

According to a press release, the Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and US Arctic received a distress call after a vessel capsized. The hypothermia victim and three other mariners clinged to safety in a life raft.

Once the sunken vessel’s Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon submerged, its automatic water switch triggered a 406-megahertz distress signal that went to the U.S. Coast Guard District 17 Rescue Coordination Center.

The Coast Guard requested helicopter support through the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at JBER and the 176th Wing search and rescue duty officer sent a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk and a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II with 212th Rescue Squadron Guardian Angel personnel recovery Airmen.

Good-natured seafarers aboard the fishing vesselM/V Polar Star picked up the four survivors, and a Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules contacted the fishing vessel and sent the updated coordinates to the AKRCC.

The Combat King performed an air-to-air refueling to the HH-60 to help it cover the 370-plus miles from JBER to the fishing vessel.

When the Guardian Angels arrived on the scene, they hoisted down to rescue the ship survivors and the GA’s performed medical assessments on the hypothermic patient before hoisting him up to the helicopter and transporting him to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

In the press release, Alaska Air National Guard Maj. Duane Griffith, AKRCC director of operations, expressed how important it is for mariners to acquire and register an EPIRB.

“The EPIRB automatically activated and provided rescuers precise coordinates for us to begin our search,” Griffith stated in the press release. “Fortunately, Alaskans often take care of Alaskans in need, and Good Samaritans helped with a good outcome.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com