...
By Jesus Mesa
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Fifty-one people were rescued in a single day and more than 300 evacuated as military aircraft and crews raced to reach flood-stricken villages in what officials say is one of the largest coordinated air evacuations in Alaska’s history.
The response to Typhoon Halong’s remnants, which slammed into the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta on October 12, unfolded over several days as National Guard and Coast Guard teams launched aircraft, coordinated boat rescues, and delivered supplies to isolated communities battered by storm surge and hurricane-force winds.
Newsweek spoke exclusively with members of the joint rescue teams who helped lead the mission. Soldiers, airmen and Coast Guard crews described lifting families from rooftops, coordinating rescues with local boat captains by radio and navigating power outages and storm-damaged runways to deliver relief.
Read More on News
...
A Storm That Outran the Playbook
The remote villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, located near the Bering Sea, are home to about 1,000 residents—nearly all identifying as Alaska Native or American Indian. Early last Saturday, Major Dan Warren, the search and rescue duty officer for the Alaska Air National Guard, was among the first to respond as a wave of 911 alerts poured into the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.
“We were hearing about homes floating away with people still inside,” he said. “This wasn’t a routine medevac. It was life or death, and it was growing fast.”
Within hours, the Guard scrambled seven aircraft from multiple bases. A C-130 Hercules carrying pararescuemen launched by 9 a.m., followed by HH-60 helicopters and coordination calls to the U.S. Coast Guard, which began deploying its own MH-60 Jayhawks out of Air Station Kodiak. The Coast Guard focused on the maritime zone while the Air and Army National Guard teams moved inland, splitting the flood zone into operational sectors to prevent midair conflicts as rescues scaled up.
Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Warren, Dan’s wife and the on-scene commander aboard the C-130, tuned in to maritime frequencies and made contact with civilian boats shuttling villagers to safety. From the air, she watched overloaded boats pushing through rough water toward the Bethel airstrip.
“We hailed them on maritime frequency. These weren’t formal rescue boats—they were villagers using skiffs to move neighbors to safety. They gave us updates on who was left behind. That real-time coordination helped us prioritize search zones.”
The scale of the operation was unprecedented. In just the first 24 hours, 51 people were rescued from flood zones by aircrews responding to the flood of emergency calls.
One of the Largest Airlifts in Alaska’s History
Bethel, a hub of 6,000 people and the only town in the region with a runway large enough to handle a C-17, became the central hub for evacuations. Nicholas Lime, a maintenance officer and Army Blackhawk crew chief, was stationed there when the power went out. With no automated systems, crews hand-cranked the hangar doors open to launch helicopters and receive incoming aircraft.
“We didn’t wait for the weather to clear or the lights to come back on,” Lime told Newsweek. “We just got moving.”
Over 21,000 pounds of relief supplies—including fuel, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), tents, and medical equipment—were delivered by air. Cargo planes touched down, offloaded their loads, took on passengers, and were back in the air within minutes.
...
Petty Officer Martin Bunn, part of the Coast Guard’s first MH-60 flight into Kipnuk, said his crew hoisted 18 people from rising water. “We pulled up 18 people that first day. Kids, elders. They’d lost everything, but they climbed into the bird without complaint,” Bunn said. “The moment the cabin door closed and they saw they were safe—it stuck with me.”
In some cases, aircraft crews unloaded aid in near-darkness, refueled and immediately switched to evacuation runs.
The rescue phase transitioned into a broader humanitarian response. A C-17 flown by the 176th Wing airlifted approximately 300 residents from Bethel to Anchorage. Tribal groups, local agencies and the American Red Cross helped stand up shelters, including at the 5,000-seat Alaska Airlines Center.
Lessons From the Storm
The crews who spoke with Newsweek said the mission succeeded because of how closely military teams in Alaska are used to working together. They share equipment, coordinate across branches and take over missions when needed—without waiting for orders to be passed down.
“Unlike other states, we don’t have every capability in one place,” said Lime. “If my aircraft is down, someone else flies. If we’re short on gear, we share. That mindset is baked into the way we operate.”
“We train together because we know we’ll need each other when it matters,” said Major Warren. “This time, everything we’ve built paid off.”
...
“It wasn’t about the patch on your shoulder,” said Petty Officer Bunn. “It was about getting people out.”
Across the region, more than 150 homes were destroyed between Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Fuel tanks were damaged. Freezers holding subsistence food supplies were flooded. Entire villages lost power and clean water. Damage assessments are still ongoing, but experts say the hardest-hit communities face a dire situation.
But despite the destruction, only a single fatality has been recorded. Two other people remain unaccounted for.
Many evacuees left with only what they could carry. Some boarded helicopters barefoot or wrapped in blankets. Yet, the crews said they never hesitated. “They kept saying thank you over the radio,” said Lt. Col. Sarah Warren.
“From the boats, from the school, from the elders—we heard it everywhere.”
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines