Fact Check: Dive team deployed via helicopter to recover drowning victims
What We Know
On July 20, 2023, a helicopter carrying a pilot and three state workers crashed into a lake on Alaska's North Slope. A North Slope Borough search and rescue team was deployed to the crash site, and a dive team was activated to assist in the recovery of the victims, who were presumed dead (AP News). The helicopter, operated by Maritime Helicopters Inc., was chartered by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for geological fieldwork (AP News).
In a separate incident, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office in California reported the recovery of three men who drowned after jumping into Rattlesnake Falls. The recovery operation involved the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Search and Rescue units, and a California Highway Patrol helicopter, which were deployed to assist in the search (Sacramento Bee).
Analysis
The claim that a dive team was deployed via helicopter to recover drowning victims is supported by multiple credible sources. In the Alaska helicopter crash incident, the North Slope Borough requested the activation of the Alaska Dive Search, Rescue and Recovery Team, which was confirmed to be en route to assist in the recovery efforts (AP News). This indicates that a dive team was indeed deployed in response to the incident.
Similarly, in the case of the Placer County drowning victims, the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team was explicitly mentioned as being part of the recovery operation, which included helicopter support for the search efforts (Sacramento Bee). This further corroborates the claim that dive teams are frequently deployed via helicopter in situations involving water rescues or recoveries.
Both incidents highlight the use of specialized dive teams and helicopters in search and recovery operations, underscoring the logistical challenges and the need for aerial support in remote or difficult-to-access locations.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The evidence clearly supports the claim that dive teams were deployed via helicopter to recover drowning victims in both the Alaska helicopter crash and the California waterfall incident. The involvement of dive teams and helicopters is well-documented in the reports from credible news sources.
