Featured

Alaska Air National Guard recounts skiers’ rescue

Alaska Air National Guard recounts skiers’ rescue

From the sky Tuesday, Alaska Air National Guard helicopter crewmen spotted an orange blanket tied to a half-buried snow ski and knew they were close to two near-hypothermic people marooned for four nights in an ice field.

A few hours later, when the weather cleared and the helicopter landed, Maj. Matthew Kirby and Master Sgt. Shane Hargis bounded out on snowshoes. Near the skis was a tent pole in a hole the width of a soda can. They shouted down the hole, and from 4 feet below, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman shouted back.

A few minutes of digging by Hargis and Kirby created a funnel-shaped hole 3 feet wide and Hanna and Neyman crawled out from a snow cave slightly larger than a casket.

You've reached your daily free article limit.

Subscribe and support our veteran writing staff to continue reading.

Get Full Ad-Free Access For Just $0.50/Week

Enjoy unlimited digital access to our Military Culture, Defense, and Foreign Policy coverage content and support a veteran owned business. Already a subscriber?

From the sky Tuesday, Alaska Air National Guard helicopter crewmen spotted an orange blanket tied to a half-buried snow ski and knew they were close to two near-hypothermic people marooned for four nights in an ice field.

A few hours later, when the weather cleared and the helicopter landed, Maj. Matthew Kirby and Master Sgt. Shane Hargis bounded out on snowshoes. Near the skis was a tent pole in a hole the width of a soda can. They shouted down the hole, and from 4 feet below, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman shouted back.

A few minutes of digging by Hargis and Kirby created a funnel-shaped hole 3 feet wide and Hanna and Neyman crawled out from a snow cave slightly larger than a casket.

Read More- AP News

Image courtesy of US Air Force

About SOFREP News Team View All Posts

The SOFREP News Team is a collective of professional military journalists. Brandon Tyler Webb is the SOFREP News Team's Editor-in-Chief. Guy D. McCardle is the SOFREP News Team's Managing Editor. Brandon and Guy both manage the SOFREP News Team.

COMMENTS

You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.

More from SOFREP

REAL EXPERTS.
REAL NEWS.

Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis.

TRY 14 DAYS FREE

Already a subscriber? Log In