An aircrew from the Alaska Army National Guard conducted a search-and-rescue mission this week to locate and extract a snowmachiner who was reported overdue in a remote area north of Bethel.
The mission began on Feb. 15 after the Alaska State Troopers requested assistance through the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. A UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter crew based in Bethel spent about three and a half hours searching more than 100 square miles of terrain before locating the missing individual roughly 110 miles north of Bethel and 30 miles east of his last known position.
According to official reports, the challenging winter terrain and conditions initially prevented an immediate extraction. The crew provided the snowmachiner with a survival radio and supplies overnight, then returned the next day to complete the rescue as weather conditions deteriorated. Once located, the individual was brought aboard the helicopter and transported to Bethel for medical evaluation.
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Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Lime, a member of the aircrew, said the team’s ability to adapt to the remote conditions and coordinate with state authorities was critical to the successful outcome.
The mission underscores the Guard’s ongoing role in supporting civilian authorities and conducting search-and-rescue operations in Alaska’s vast and often unforgiving landscape
