Whidbey Island Search and Rescue crews conduct 5 rescues in 4 days

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - The Whidbey Island Search and Rescue teams conducted five rescues in a matter of four days, adding to the two dozen missions this calendar year.

Whidbey Island SAR says in 2021 they have conducted five MEDEVACs, 16 rescues, and three searches.

The recent rescue missions stretched from the Olympic National Park Wilderness Area to the east of Seattle and up into the northern Washington Cascades from July 9 to 12.

The first rescue involved a hiker who broke her leg early Friday. The 32-year-old fell off a cliff on Mt. Sauk. The SAR crew flew her to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham.

Shortly after noon Friday, the crew helped rescue a 54-year-old man who also suffered a broken leg. The crew arrived on the scene at Snow Lakes Trails and transported the injured man to the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery Landing Zone where he was delivered to an awaiting ambulance.

Saturday, they had one rescue in the Alpine Wilderness east of Seattle. A 34-year old woman, who suffered a possible broken ankle was transferred to Harborview following her extraction.

On Sunday, July 11, SAR saved a 44-year-old man who fell on rocky terrain in the Olympic Mountain Range and suffered a significant laceration

Finally, early Monday morning, SAR went to the Cascade Mountain Range, where a female hiker had fallen 300 feet and suffered significant knee and hand injuries. They rescued her via rappelling and helicopter.