JUNEAU, Alaska — Coast Guard and Alaska Air National Guard helicopters crews found the Skagway hiker around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday after four unsuccessful attempts since Monday due to dense fog near Meade Glacier in the Tongass National Forest east of Haines.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Sitka located Kyle Dungan and dropped a smoke flare at his position marking the area for the Air National Guard helicopter to land where Juneau and Douglas Mountain Rescue personnel safely transferred Dungan into the helicopter.
Dungan was transported to Haines in stable condition where Alaska State Troopers were waiting to take him to the local clinic. Due to the rough terrain, the ski-plane that initialy was supposed to pick Dungan up on Sunday was reportedly unable to land. The hiker reported he was tired, weak and had not eaten for four days after the ski-plane pilot dropped to him a hand-held radio. The Coast Guard was unable to communicate with Dungan via radio since that time.
The Coast Guard made several attempts, including taking Juneau Mountain Rescue along, but were turned back each time because of winter weather conditions or dense fog in Dungan’s location.
MEADE GLACIER, Alaska - Juneau and Douglas mountain rescue teams rush out of an Army National Guard MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to the aid of Kyle Dungan who had been stranded on Meade Glacier since March 7, 2010.
