ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard medevaced a hiker Friday after he was mauled by a bear on Afognak Island, just north of Kodiak Island.
A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak hoisted the 31-year-old man who sustained multiple lacerations to his leg and brought him to Air Station Kodiak where he was placed in the care of awaiting EMS.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard District 17 command center in Juneau received a call via satellite phone from a member of the hiking party requesting the medevac at approximately 1 p.m.
Watchstanders in the Sector Anchorage command center in Anchorage assumed the role of search and rescue mission coordinators and requested the launch of the helicopter crew.
"The Coast Guard in Alaska is best known for maritime search and rescue," said Coast Guard Ens. Scott Peters, Sector Anchorage command duty officer for the case. "But our helicopter crews often conduct inland search and rescue operations as well. Urgent situations like today require swift response from properly trained people, with assets capable of responding to persons in distress. Today that was us."
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