A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka locates and hoists two hunters during a search and rescue mission near Klawock, Alaska, Sept. 1, 2013. The Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and and Klawock Search and Rescue worked together to find the men after they were reported overdue from a hunting trip. U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Sitka.
JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and Klawock Search and Rescue assisted two missing hunters near Klawock, Saturday.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka located the two men in good condition and transported them to a search staging location in Klawock set up by search parties on the ground.
Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center watchstanders received a request for assistance from Alaska State Troopers late Saturday night to search for the two hunters who were reportedly late returning from a deer hunting trip. Sector Juneau watchstanders directed the launch of the Jayhawk crew to search for the men.
The men reportedly contacted their families to let them know they were hiking back to their truck Friday morning. The family contacted authorities when the men failed to check back in. Both men were reported to be experienced hunters and familiar with the area where they were hunting.
“This case owes its success to cooperation with our partner search and rescue agencies and to the planning of the two hunters,” said Vince Gorchowski, a Sector Juneau watchstander. “These men did the right thing by telling their families where they’d be hunting and staying in contact with them during their trip, and that information told search crews exactly where to look and helped us to quickly resolve this mission and bring these men home safe.”
For more information about this case, please contact Coast Guard Public Affairs at 907-227-9248.