Unalaska, AK – The Coast Guard rescued two of their own off of Ballyhoo this weekend. Two Coast Guard officers were hiking on Ballyhoo below the weather station and one slipped into a ravine. The other went down to help her, but both became stuck and couldn't move either up or down.

According to Coast Guard public affairs officer Lt. JG Crystal Hudak, they called the ship with their cell phone to ask for help. Five other Coast Guard people went with a rope to try to help them out but soon realized they would need a helicopter. Luckily, the chopper was at the airport for some routine training work and was easily mobilized. The was little to no wind on Ballyhoo on Saturday afternoon so the helicopter flew very close to the mountain and winched a rescue swimmer down to the two stranded officers. One by one the rescuer hoisted them up in a sling. Neither of the officers was injured, just bruised from sliding on the slate into the ravine. They were stuck for about three and a half hours.

The Coast Guard received the initial call at 4:20 pm on Saturday. The officers are crew on the Cutter Monroe, which is in Unalaska on port call.