Air National Guard rescues 3 hunters Sunday on Kenai Peninsula

Three hunters were rescued in two separate incidents on the Kenai Peninsula on Sunday.

The Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing, based at Anchorage’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, was contacted simultaneously by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center for both rescues, according to a release from the State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs on Tuesday.

When reports were received about two distressed sheep hunters near Benjamin Creek south of Skilak Lake, the center was also tracking a request by a distressed goat hunter at Bradley Lake.

Lt. Col. Brock Roden, the release says, dispatched a helicopter and plane. Capt. Erin Phillips, who piloted the helicopter, says in the release that the sheep hunters were prioritized because they didn’t have shelter and were at a high altitude — exposed to the elements.

The hunters had been prepared for the weather, the release says, but their tent was destroyed. The pair were quickly found because of high-quality GPS coordinates they provided. When the wing arrived, they were signaling with “what was left of their tent,” a small piece of orange fabric.

The time between arriving on scene to taking back off was “less than five minutes,” Phillips says in the release.

The two hunters were released to Alaska State Troopers in Kenai, and then the wing turned their attention to the Homer area where the goat hunter was stranded.

Similarly, the man was quickly identified by his bright clothing and swiftly recovered. The helicopter refueled from the larger plane “air-to-air” before returning to Anchorage.

Alaska Air National Guard Master Sgt. Jacob Inman, senior controller for the rescue coordination center, in the release encourages being prepared for Alaska conditions, even in summer.

“Don’t let the fact that it’s still technically summer in Alaska fool you,” Inman said. “It can get wet and cold in a hurry, especially in the deep Alaska wilderness. Tell a loved one where you are going and when you are returning. Carry a two-way satellite communication device. Pack clothes to stay dry and warm, and bring a sturdy shelter.”

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.