A Search and Rescue team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island rescued a snowboarder from the top of Tabletop Mountain in the North Cascades on Feb. 11.

NAS Whidbey Island officials received the alert on Friday evening, informing them that the snowboarder was trapped and holding onto a tree to prevent herself from falling off the steep cliff. A local ski patrol was on scene but was unable to reach her without executing a steep ice climb at night.

After the SAR team located the trapped snowboarder and positioned the aircraft in a safe position, a crewmember was lowered to assist the woman into a hoisting vest and brought her aboard the helicopter. She was then transported to a cleared parking area and turned over to the ski patrol after a SAR crewmember performed a medical assessment that determined the individual did not have any injuries.

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island SAR has conducted seven missions this calendar year, which includes six MEDEVACs and one rescue.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation. Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civilian needs to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center for inland missions, and/or tasking by the United States Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable.