hope and pray for the Lifeguard helicopter crew (Anchorage, Soldotna: condo, transport)

[rotorhead]

I just found out about the missing helicopter from the Lifeguard program run by Providence Hospital. The Soldotna-based aircraft, it's crew, and a patient being transported disappeared over Prince William Sound on a medivac flight from Cordova to Anchorage.

It's still possible that the aircraft or survivors may be found, but your thoughts and prayers would be appropriate at this point.

[barnacle9]

I was surprised this morning to turn on CNN and see a map with Cordova on it.

I was not very hopeful when I looked at the weather conditions existing for the search.

The patient was a Cordova local.

I share the sentiments of this community in general when I say that we hope for the best in this situation.

Judging terrain, weather, etc. it does not look too good.

Prayers or equivalent are encouraged

[Rance]

It was very bad driving around Turnagain Arm last night. Windy as heck and snowing bigtime. I'm hoping they found a place to set er down smooth enough to walk away.

[thepenartist]

I read the article in the Anchorage Daily News just a few minutes ago. I hope and pray all of them are okay and that while the search continues, those in the search will also be safe.

[ASpilot2be]

I am hoping for the best.

[aquariusmom]

I've been praying for the flight crew as well as our local Cordovan who was the patient and her family. My husband is part of the search team, praying for all of them too.

[warptman]

What a sad ending....

[barnacle9]

Originally Posted by warptman

What a sad ending....

Yes, very sad.

If there is any consolation to be found by the bereaved, it would be, I think, a sense of closure here.

Better this news, I believe, than finding them in Spring, wondering how long they might have survived following the crash.

Also better than never finding anything.

My condolences to family and friends of the deceased . . .

I guess it would be too much to hope for one of them possibly surviving and making it to shore.

I would guess sidescan sonar ought to be able to locate the wreckage, deep though it may be.

[barnacle9]

sorry -

web:

adn.com | alaska : Helicopter debris, one body are found (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9506919p-9417616c.html - broken link)

[rotorhead]

Passage canal, so close, but yet...

Having flown that exact aircraft for several years as a former lifeguard pilot, I can say it was one of the best equipped EMS aircraft I've seen and certainly the most well equipped I've flown in that business. It's sad to see that they were so close to Whittier but yet they were obviously unable to reach it safely. In helicopters the line between an uneventfull flight and disaster is always pretty fine, and when things go wrong it can happen very, very quickly.

I suppose I'd have to second the opinion that the only outcome worse than finding the crash site is never finding anything at all, which was a distinct possibility given the unforgiving nature of the terrain along that route.