CAMP DENALI, Alaska— The Alaska Air National Guard rescued a 32-year-old German national on the Upper John River Aug. 21 after he damaged his canoe while floating the river.
According to the 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (RCC), Alaska State Troopers received notification that a man, who departed Anaktuvuk Pass Aug. 13 and was floating with six weeks of supplies and provisions, had damaged his new foldable canoe Aug. 19 and was requesting assistance via SPOT satellite messenger. He was reported to be uninjured but cold.
Over the next 36 hours, Alaska State Troopers attempted to coordinate several ground rescues, but high water levels made it difficult to get to the stranded canoeist.
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“The Troopers coordinated with ground teams to perform the rescue, but it was beyond what they could do,” said Tech. Sgt. Gail Paculba, RCC duty controller, Alaska Air National Guard. “They attempted to get out there with other assets, but because of the high water, they needed the Alaska Air National Guard rescue helicopter and crew to go out there to save him.”
Left with few options, Troopers contacted the RCC at 11:35 a.m. on Aug. 21 to request aerial support for the rescue.
The RCC alerted the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron, Detachment 1, along with the 212th Rescue Squadron, and following a situation brief, they launched an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter out of Eielson Air Force Base at 2:30 p.m.
“The Alaska Air National Guard was able to safely pick up the man and bring him back to Eielson Air Force Base at 7 p.m. where he was released to Alaska State Troopers,” Paculba said.
The Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons were awarded one save for this mission.