USGS employees and pilot stranded on Alaska volcano after freezing rain ices helicopter

9/6/2013

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Officials say two researchers and their pilot are stranded on a remote Alaska volcano after freezing rain iced on their helicopter.

Alaska State Troopers say bad weather has prevented rescuers from reaching the helicopter on Mount Mageik.

Troopers say everyone on board the Elgi Air Haul helicopter is in good condition.

There are no reported injuries or damage to the chopper, which is sitting at the 6,500-foot level of the mountain in Katmai National Park and Preserve.

The park’s chief ranger, Neal Labrie, says a nature webcam in the area is helping to gauge the cloud cover on the mountain.

The researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks were working on volcano-monitoring equipment before they were caught in the freezing rainstorm Wednesday evening.