During the early morning hours of Friday, 28-year-old Bruce, and 33-year-old Grant Ilutsik, heard their boats banging around in the storm moving through the area and so went to investigate.

When they went out to check on and secure their boats, the two men found that one of the boats had broke loose and was adrift in the storm.

Responding quickly, they boarded another of their boats and launched to retrieve the other boat in the windy and rough water. After the two men set off, their engine quit and the men found themselves adrift in winds gusting to 50 miles per hour.

The Aleknagik Village Safety Officer along with another villager set out in another boat to conduct a rescue, but the high winds and rough seas filled with thick ice frustrated their attempt. The would be rescuers were almost capsized in the conditions.

At 4:15 am, the Alaska State Troopers were contacted and apprised of the situation unfolding in Aleknagik. Troopers contacted the United States Coast Guard and a rescue helicopter was launched out of Cold Bay.

At daybreak, villagers were able to see the the stranded men trapped in the ice sheet. The village rescuers left shore and made their way to solid ice and gained footing onto the ice from the back side of the ice sheet. The rescuers from the village walked on the ice sheet while holding on to their small boat and made their way to the stranded men.

Two two men were rescued from their small craft and the boat was pulled to the solid ice where they were able to pull the boat to the south shore.

USCG was called and the USCG rescue helicopter was cancelled.

The two cold and wet men were transported to the Dillingham Hospital for evaluation.