A man and two kids survived a plane crash in Alaska by spending 12 hours on the wing of their partially sunken aircraft in freezing temperatures.
Have you ever felt completely hopeless? When this family crashed in the Alaskan wilderness, they faced a night where survival seemed impossible.
Yet God’s mercy showed up when they needed it most. Their story shows us that even in our darkest moments – when we’re freezing, scared, and see no way out – God hasn’t forgotten us.
The family was found alive Monday morning, March 24, after spending about 12 hours stranded on the wing of their partially sunken plane. Their Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser had been reported missing Sunday night around 10:30 p.m. after taking off from Soldotna Airport.
Several groups joined the search effort right away – the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, Coast Guard, State Troopers, and the National Guard. But finding the plane wasn’t easy since it wasn’t sending out any emergency signals.
Thankfully, searchers got a big break when they were able to track a cell phone ping to narrow down the search area near Tustumena Lake and the Kenai Mountains.
The breakthrough came when local pilot Terry Godes spotted something unusual while flying over the area Monday morning.
“At first, I could tell it was an airplane wing and so I made an announcement on the radio that I think I may have spotted them,” Godes told Good Morning America. “I could see that there were three people on top of the wing. It was really good to see.”
What Godes witnessed was nothing short of remarkable. The three survivors—a man and two children of elementary and middle school age—had spent the entire night huddled together on the wing of their partially sunken aircraft in temperatures near freezing.
“They spent a very cold, long, dark, wet night out on top of the wing of an airplane on soft ice,” Godes explained. “It’s a miracle.”
The family had managed to escape their aircraft either before it sank or by climbing out through the skylights. Then they waited for help in the bitter cold for about 12 hours.
Once Godes spotted them, help came quickly. The Alaska Army National Guard sent a Blackhawk helicopter with medical personnel. By 10:30 a.m., all three survivors were lifted safely from the aircraft’s wing.
It turns out the plane hadn’t crashed into the main lake as everyone first thought. Instead, it landed in a glacial field with a large body of water, broke through the ice, and got stuck.
All three survivors were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life threatening.
When we face challenges in our lives and see no hope, remember we have a faithful God who never abandons us. Like this family stranded on a frozen lake, we might feel alone in our darkest moments.
But God works through people – sometimes strangers – to bring help when we least expect it.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Video not working?
