Alaska Air National Guard rescues 4 plane crash victims at Montague Island

Four victims of an Aug. 30 plane crash were rescued by Alaska Air National Guard personnel after their Cessna 180 ended up flipped over on a coastal sandbar at Montague Island, about 60 miles southeast of Seward. Officials said the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson opened the mission after an emergency locator transmitter signal traced to the aircraft owner. The AKRCC requested help from the 176th Wing, which sent a helicopter with pararescuemen. Because of concerns about flying sand and debris, rescuers landed short of the crash site, made contact with the four who had self-extracted, and flew them to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.