Man and two daughters survive 12 hours on aircraft wing in Alaska lake before rescue

A pilot and his two young daughters survived on the wing of a plane for about 12 hours after it crashed and was partly submerged in an icy Alaska lake, then were rescued after being spotted by a good Samaritan.
Terry Godes said he saw a Facebook post on Sunday night calling for people to help search for the missing plane, which did not have a locator beacon. On Monday morning about a dozen pilots including Godes headed out to scour the rugged terrain. Godes headed toward Tustumena Lake near the toe of a glacier and spotted what he thought was wreckage.
'It kind of broke my heart to see that, but as I got closer down and lower, I could see that there's three people on top of the wing,' he told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
After saying a prayer, he continued to approach and saw a miracle.
'They were alive and responsive and moving around,' Godes said, adding that they waved at him.
The missing Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, piloted by a man with two juvenile immediate family members aboard, was on a sightseeing tour from Soldotna to Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula. It was not immediately clear how old the juveniles were.
In a social media post early on Monday, John Morris implored people to help search for his son and granddaughters, saying they were late returning from a Sunday-afternoon flight.
'There are friends ready to search at daylight. But this is my plea for any and all help to locate my family,' he wrote.
The three were rescued on the eastern edge of Tustumena Lake on Monday by the Alaska army national guard after Godes alerted other searching pilots that he had found them. Another pilot, Dale Eicher, heard Godes' radio call and related it to troopers since he was closer to Skilak Lake and figured he had better cell reception. He was also able to provide the plane's coordinates to authorities.
'I wasn't sure if we would find them, especially because there was a cloud layer over quite a bit of the mountains, so they could have very easily been in those clouds that we couldn't get to,' Eicher said. But finding the family alive within an hour of starting the search 'was very good news'.
The three were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Alaska state troopers said.
Godes said many miracles were at play, from the plane not sinking, to the survivors being able to stay atop the wing, to them surviving nighttime temperatures dipping below 30F (-1C).
'They spent a long, cold, dark, wet night out on top of a wing of an airplane that they weren't planning on,' Godes said.
Alaska has few roads, leaving many communities to rely on small airplanes to get around.
Last month 10 people died when a small commuter plane that was overweight by half a ton crashed onto sea ice in the Norton Sound, near Nome on the state's western coast.
And five years ago, a midair collision near the Soldotna airport claimed seven lives including that of a state lawmaker.
For this week's rescue, the national guard dispatched a helicopter from its base in Anchorage.
The initial plan of using a hoist to pluck the crash survivors from the wing proved too dangerous, as the the smallest girl was being buffeted and blown around by the wind created by the helicopter, said Lt Col Brendon Holbrook, commander of the 207th aviation regiment. So instead the aircraft hovered to the side and pulled them on board.
Personnel reported that the girls were surprisingly dry but the man had been in the water at some point, Holbrook said: 'We don't know to what extent, but he was hypothermic.'
Holbrook said he was told they had basic clothing one would wear on small planes without very good heating systems, but nothing sufficient to keep warm outside in wintry temperatures with cold winds blowing on the lake.
'It was literally the best possible scenario and outcome,' Holbrook said. 'Ultimately the crew of that airplane were lucky, because from what my guys told me, that plane was in the ice with the tail refrozen, and if that tail hadn't refrozen, it would have sunk.'
The 60,000-acre (24,200-hectare) Tustumena Lake, the largest freshwater body on the Kenai Peninsula, is about 80 miles (130km) south-west of Anchorage, with nearby mountains and a glacier.
It has been described by the Alaska department of fish and game as 'notorious for its sudden, dangerous winds', with conditions that can cause havoc for both boats and planes.
'The terrain helps turn the winds around, and occasionally they get a little squirrelly,' said Michael Kutz, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Anchorage.
Godes agreed that the area is always windy and the water can be whipped up into waves.
'Then just the way it's placed right there at the heel of that, or at the toe of that glacier where you've got mountains on both sides, you know, just a few miles to the west, you've got Cook Inlet running back and forth with huge temperature and tidal swings every day,' he said. 'It's just a recipe for chaos and for turbulence.'
There was no indication yet why the plane crashed.
Mark Ward, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska division, said the pilot had not yet reported the accident, nor had the agency been able to contact him. Efforts were to be made again on Wednesday to speak to him.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

• Scottish Sun

At least eight killed in horror hot air balloon crash in Brazil ‘after aircraft caught fire and plummeted to the ground'

CRASH HORROR At least eight killed in horror hot air balloon crash in Brazil 'after aircraft caught fire and plummeted to the ground' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AT least least eight people died after a hot-air balloon crashed in Brazil's southern region of Santa Catarina. The balloon is believed to have had an estimated 22 people onboard. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 At least least eight people died after a hot-air balloon crashed 2 The balloon is believed to have had an estimated 22 people onboard Local governor Jorginho Mello said on X: "We are all shocked by the accident involving a balloon in Praia Grande, this Saturday morning. "Our rescue team is already on site. "So far, we have confirmed eight deaths and two survivors." Shocking footage uploaded to social media shows the hot air balloon erupt into flames in the sky before deflating and falling to the ground. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

Wales Online

3 days ago

• Wales Online

Incredible drone footage shows moment dog is found after vanishing during walk

Incredible drone footage shows moment dog is found after vanishing during walk Roxie ran away when they encountered a couple with two large dogs, and was found by a drone pilot in the early hours of the morning Dramatic Drone Footage Of Lost Dog Scampering Across Dunes As Rescuers Close In A Welsh community was on tenterhooks when a beloved dog went missing on a seaside stroll. Five-year-old Roxie, the Jack Tzu vanished from view amongst dunes and despite hours searching, she remained missing. Owners Liz Richardson and her husband John were joined by local volunteers as the Anglesey online community waited hours for updates. By sheer chance, in the dead of night, Roxie's silhouette was caught on a drone camera equipped with thermal imaging showing her dashing through the Aberffraw's dunes. ‌ The nail-biting footage shows rabbits darting while Roxie runs through the dunes, all captured by drone operator Dafydd Edwards from Holyhead. ‌ Thanks to the footage she was safely retrieved and an overwhelmed Roxie was finally reunited with Liz. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here Dealing with the pain of losing another dog just two months prior to this incident, Liz expressed her relief saying: "I couldn't bear to lose another. Even when I heard Roxie had been found, I didn't dare believe it until I saw her. Then I couldn't stop hugging everyone, I was so grateful." The ordeal unfolded on Monday afternoon (June 16) as mother-in-law Margaret ventured out with Roxie and Lola, a Shih Tzu, for their routine walk. Setting off from Rhostrehwfa near Llangefni, Margaret opted for the stunning dune scenery of Aberffraw on the west coast of Anglesey, a favourite amongst dog walkers for its vast dunes leading up to the magnificent Traeth Mawr beach, reports North Wales Live. Article continues below However, when Margaret came across a couple with two large and friendly dogs, Roxie became scared. Roxie takes it easy back home in Rhostrehwfa after a hard day chasing rabbits (Image: Liz Richardson ) Liz, 52 said: "In a flash, she was gone. Poor Margaret spent an hour searching for her in a state of panic." ‌ Having no other option, Margaret rang home. Liz and John immediately got into their car to make the first of three trips to the dunes. After two hours they returned home to charge their phones so they could post an appeal on Facebook. "It set off a series of events that eventually led to Roxie being found," said Liz. "I still can't believe how many people wanted to help - we live in such a wonderful place here." ‌ Following advice from online followers, Liz and John went back to leave food and clothes with familiar scents in the area, hoping Roxie would be lured to safety. One spot was where she was last seen, another was near a cottage following a reported sighting. Joining the search was local man Richard Mulcahey. "He stayed with us the whole day," said Liz. "We didn't get home until 1.30am the next morning. He was incredible – I contacted him afterwards to say he was my hero!". ‌ Unbeknownst to Liz and John, discussions were taking place online and one of these led to Dafydd Edwards, a volunteer drone pilot with rescue charity Drone SAR For Lost Dogs (DSFLG) UK. With over 3,500 pilots and 3,000 ground search volunteers, it helps reunite around 750 dogs each year. With daylight dwindling, architectural designer Dafydd took to the skies over Aberffraw with his DJI Mavic 3T drone, equipped with a thermal camera that was picking up numerous heat signatures. He said: "I came across rabbits by the dozen and a darting fox, sending our hearts racing as we hoped we might be closing in on Roxie. ‌ "Flying at night with a thermal camera is much easier than searching during the day, when there are lots of people around and it's harder to differentiate objects." After draining two batteries, their initial hope began to wane. The wind had picked up, compelling Dafydd to fly the drone at a mere 10-15 metres. "The drone was on the edge of its capability," he admitted. ‌ Then, half an hour after returning to Rhostrehwfa, Liz received an exhilarating call. "Dafydd said he'd spotted her!" she said. "So we bombed out again." From left: Relieved owner Liz Richardson with volunteer searcher Richard Mulcahey and drone pilot Dafydd Edwards (Image: Liz Richardson ) ‌ Amidst the plethora of rabbits, locating a diminutive Jack Tzu – a hybrid of Shih Tzu and Jack Russell – was a challenge. Dafydd managed to identify one slightly larger heat signature and upon zooming in, it seemed to be a dog. He said: "It was pure luck. I kept tracking the dog but as soon as Liz and John arrived, the battery ran out again and I needed to make another change. I was worried I'd lost Roxie but luckily she was still in the same spot when the drone went back up." John and Richard were led to Roxie's hiding spot, with some invaluable advice from social media users. "We had a lot of advice from Facebook users, especially Gillian Metcalf," Liz expressed. ‌ "We were advised not to all shout Roxie's name in case she took fright. When John was closing in, he was calling out gently for Lola instead - the idea was that Roxie would be curious and feel she was missing out on something. It seemed to work - she was quickly back on a lead." Liz could barely contain her gratitude upon their reunion saying: "I could scarcely believe she was back and unharmed, I couldn't stop thanking everyone. I've been overwhelmed by everyone's kindness. In this day and age, you think there aren't many people willing to help for nothing, but this shows that's not true. I count myself so lucky to live here." Dafydd, frequently called upon to seek out lost pups said: "It's always very rewarding when you make a successful rescue." Article continues below In appreciation, Liz made a gesture of thanks to the Dog Search and Find group, contributing to DSFLG UK and registering herself as a volunteer searcher. As a token of appreciation and practical measure, she's also being gifted a dog tracker to prevent future escapades into rabbit-filled meadows with Roxie.

Powys County Times

3 days ago

• Powys County Times

Powys County Council to begin work on Elan Valley roads

A POWYS councillor has praised the local authority after it was announced that 'long awaited' repairs and resurfacing are due to be carried out on rural roads in her ward. Councillor Angela Davies, who represents Rhayader, revealed on Wednesday that Powys County Council is to undertake work on roads in several isolated locations in the Elan Valley, around its reservoirs. The work is set to start at the end of June and carry on into early July in both the Elan Valley and Claerwen Valley. 'I am delighted to share with you that we are set to see long awaited road resurfacing repairs on our rural roads,' said Cllr Davies on the Facebook page. Work will take place near the Claerwen reservoir in two parts, from Monday-Tuesday, June 30-July, and again from July 2-4. There will be two sites in the Elan Valley where works are carried out – around the Graig Goch, Pen y Garreg, Graig-ddu and Caban Coch reservoirs, between July 7-11, during the hours of 8am and 5pm. A timeline for work in the Dernol Valley, meanwhile, is to be determined.