Seven people and a black Labrador Retriever stranded on a sandbar northwest of Haines were rescued by the Coast Guard on March 30 after their boat capsized in the Chilkat River.
No injuries were reported.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Plunkett, air craft commander for the incident, said they were able to rapidly locate the group because they were carrying a device that allowed them to call for help and provide their exact location.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 17th District command in Juneau received the request for helicopter support from the Alaska state Troopers at about 10 p.m. that evening, after the stranded boaters contacted the troopers via a satellite communication device that doubled as a GPS. The boaters indicated they were wet and cold.
“With air temperatures in the low 30s, this device likely saved their lives,” Plunkett said. “This is a great example of how a sunny day in Alaska can quickly turn into survival situation. I’m thankful they were prepared, and the conditions permitted us to help them out.”
