US Coast Guard Rescues 2 Survivors After Plane Crashes Off Alaska

Lorenz Duchamps
By Lorenz Duchamps
July 7, 2022US News
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US Coast Guard Rescues 2 Survivors After Plane Crashes Off Alaska
U.S. Coast Guard crew members in a MH 65 Dolphin helicopter participate in a training exercise on June 9, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people in Alaska after their plane crashed this week off Montague Island, the maritime search and rescue agency announced.

Watchstanders of the USCG Sector Anchorage received a report on July 5 at about 4:15 p.m. from a friend of the pilot that a P-18 Super Cub aircraft with two people aboard crashed just above the high tide line near Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska.

The USCG deployed an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from the Kodiak air station in Alaska and arrived at the scene just after 6:45 p.m., officials said.

Upon arrival, first responders found the two survivors and transported them to Cordova for treatment. The duo is reportedly in stable condition and no major injuries were announced.

“The quick response by the aircrew in Cordova helped these two get the help they needed,” Katie Brown, the command duty officer of the Anchorage station, said in a statement.

“It’s incredible these two people made it out okay, and the fact that they had communication equipment readily available really aided in our response time,” she added.

The USCG said the two survivors communicated with the satellite communication device InReach, a two-way satellite communicator that works where cell phones don’t by using the Iridium satellite network.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

NTD Photo
The P-18 Super Cub aircraft that crashed on the shore of Alaska’s Montague Island on July 5, 2022. (Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard)

Meanwhile, the USCG announced this week that four people were medically evacuated, or rescued, during two separate incidents in Alaska last week, officials said in a statement.

Watchstanders at a command center in Juneau received a request for assistance on July 2 from Pacific Producer, a 167-foot fishing vessel. The ship’s crew stated that a female crewmember reportedly experienced sepsis-like symptoms.

In a second incident, which happened on July 4, watchstanders received a report from a commercial fishing vessel that was taking on water in the vicinity of Lisianski Strait and Porcupine Rock—located about 30 miles south of Glacier Bay National Park.

The Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) issued a distress signal that led to the deployment of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to assist the fishermen.

Two good Samaritan vessels—Cirus and Lucky Strike—also helped the UMIB’s call. The USCG and good Samaritan’s jointly rescued all three passengers, who were then transferred to Sitka for medical care.

The fishing vessel—Miss Amy—was unable to keep up with the water flow rate and sank in approximately 150 feet of water 5 miles offshore.

“We’re especially grateful to good Samaritan vessels Cirus and Lucky Strike, which responded to our broadcast for help and rescued the survivors who went into the water after their vessel sank,” said Petty Officer, a 2nd class watchstander at the Juneau command center. “Their quick response saved three lives.”

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