On 06/26/2023 at about 0414 hours, Alaska State Troopers were contacted by two individuals who had been kayaking on the Chatanika River near Fairbanks when they capsized and lost one of their kayaks. The individuals stated that they had capsized twice during their float trip; the second time leading to the loss of a kayak and gear, as well as one of the individuals being swept downriver before exiting the water. Both individuals were wet, cold, and were not able to get a fire started. It was also reported that the individual who had been swept downriver had suffered a seizure and did not have their medication. Coordinates were provided to AST, who began coordinating their rescue. Due to the location of the individuals, a boat was not able to be used, so HELO 2 was utilized instead. At approximately 0923 hours, HELO 2 located the individuals at their makeshift camp on the riverbank. The individuals had been able to get a fire started while waiting for rescue and were uninjured but exhausted. They declined medical treatment. The remaining kayak was dragged into the tree line for retrieval at a later date.
Chatanika
Fairbanks                     