4 Rescued After Hunting Party Trapped on Alaska Ice Floe

Coast Guard helicopter crew battled extreme weather conditions to airlift the group to safety.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:52am

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A vast, majestic landscape painting in muted tones of white, grey, and blue, with a small, isolated ice floe barely visible in the distance, dwarfed by the overwhelming scale of the Alaskan wilderness shrouded in a blinding blizzard.The dramatic rescue of an Alaskan hunting party trapped on an ice floe underscores the harsh realities of life in the state's remote, unforgiving wilderness.Chefornak Today

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued four people, including a child, who became trapped on an ice floe during a seal hunting expedition near the remote Alaskan village of Chefornak. The group had been stranded for over 24 hours before the Coast Guard was alerted and dispatched a helicopter crew to the scene, which the pilot described as one of the most challenging missions they had ever flown due to near-zero visibility, blowing snow, and icing conditions.

Why it matters

Subsistence hunting and fishing are critical to the way of life for many remote Alaskan communities, but extreme weather and unpredictable ice conditions can put hunters at serious risk. This rescue highlights the vital role the Coast Guard plays in responding to emergencies and saving lives in Alaska's harsh environment.

The details

The group of four people, including three adults and one child, had been on a seal hunting expedition when their 18-foot vessel became trapped on an ice floe approximately 10 miles west of Chefornak. They had managed to free the boat overnight but were unable to reach the shore due to the shifting ice. Alaska State Troopers alerted the Coast Guard, who dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak to the scene. The rescue crew battled extreme weather conditions, including 28-degree air temperature, 29 mph winds, near-zero visibility, blowing snow, and icing, to locate and hoist the group to safety. All four individuals were transported back to Chefornak uninjured.

  • On Saturday at 4:24 p.m., Alaska State Troopers reported the group's situation to the Coast Guard.
  • On Sunday at approximately 5 p.m., the Coast Guard helicopter crew reached the scene and rescued the four people.

The players

U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Lt. Cmdr. Alexis Chavarria-Aguilar

The pilot-in-command for the Coast Guard helicopter crew that conducted the rescue.

Chefornak

A remote village in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of southwestern Alaska where the rescued hunting party was transported.

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What they’re saying

“Our entire crew agreed this was one of the most challenging missions any of us had ever flown. We battled nearly every Alaska-centric aviation weather hazard imaginable, such as flying over 800 miles in near-zero visibility through mountainous terrain, blowing snow and icing conditions.”

— Lt. Cmdr. Alexis Chavarria-Aguilar, Pilot-in-command

What’s next

The Coast Guard will likely review the incident and their response procedures to identify any areas for improvement in conducting complex rescues in Alaska's extreme weather conditions.

The takeaway

This dramatic rescue highlights the vital role the U.S. Coast Guard plays in saving lives in remote Alaskan communities, where subsistence activities like hunting can quickly turn perilous due to unpredictable ice and weather. The bravery and skill of the helicopter crew in battling extreme conditions to reach and airlift the stranded party to safety is a testament to the Coast Guard's commitment to protecting those who live and work in Alaska's rugged environment.