The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people and two dogs stuck after floating on an inflatable pink flamingo near Kodiak Island, Alaska over the weekend.
The giant flamingo was blown off course in heavy winds before becoming caught on a patch of offshore rocks on Saturday. After Alaska State Troopers determined that the conditions were too dangerous to attempt a water-based rescue, a Coast Guard helicopter arrived to help the group.
Video of the rescue that was posted to YouTube appears to show several figures being hoisted one-by-one from the outcropping of rocks skywards into the helicopter, while the flamingo sits on the shore a significant distance away.
"An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak hoisted three people with two dogs stranded on offshore rocks near Kodiak today after their raft was swept across Monashka Bay!" U.S. Coast Guard Alaska wrote in a statement posted to Facebook early Sunday morning.
"Alaska State Troopers and the #USCG worked together to determine that due to the treacherous circumstances, a helicopter hoist was the best option to bring these folks and their animals back to shore, safe and sound!" the statement continued.
Although it is unclear why the group was attempting to sail on the inflatable craft, the Coast Guard's Facebook post included comments from a woman who thanked rescuers and the locals who reported the emergency, while noting that she had been on board during her 30th birthday.
Public Affairs Specialist 1st Class Nate Littlejohn of the 17th Coast Guard District told Newsweek that the emergency could have ended in tragedy and the rescue crew were fortunate to reach the stranded flamingo in time.
"Luckily the raft drifted to a location the helicopter crew could hoist from," Littlejohn said in a statement. "This situation had the potential to become much worse, in a hurry. With help from our partners the Alaska State Troopers, the helicopter crew was able to locate the raft and respond in time to avert the serious consequences that can result from recreating in the unforgiving waters of Alaska."
Kodiak residents Colin Dickey and Katie Gray captured footage of the unusual vessel making its way across the bay before it was in distress from the deck of their home. They posted it privately on Instagram before sharing it with The Alaska Landmine. The video clip shows the flamingo bobbing along in relatively calm water.
"We were outside on our porch, and I saw this giant pink flamingo floating across the bay," Gray told the outlet. "The first thing I said was 'Oh another invasive species.' But we thought it was really odd. It was a nice day, it was warm, but the water certainly wasn't warm."
"It's not a common occurrence," Gray added. "It gets really deep really quickly and it can get rough quickly. The current gets kinda crazy out there."
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
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