NAS Whidbey Island SAR Rescues Trapped Family Near La Push

— from Mike Welding, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station —

A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island rescued a 42-year-old man and his three children off a 40-ft. cliff face on Third Beach near La Push, Washington on Sunday July, 30, 2017.

NAS Whidbey’s SAR unit departed from the base just before 6:45 p.m. The Navy team arrived on scene just over half an hour after liftoff and located the family after a short search aided by a park ranger near the scene. The family got trapped on a small ledge after the tide came in. NAS Whidbey Island’s SAR team was able to evacuate the family in about 15 minutes, then flew them to Quillayute State Airport for transport back to their vehicle.

This was the 26th rescue of 2017 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted four searches and 14 Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions this year.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation (SAR/MEDEVAC) platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation. Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civil SAR/MEDEVAC needs to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the AFRCC (based on a Washington State Memorandum of Understanding) for inland missions, and/or tasking by the United States Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable.