Minnesota Team's First Night Helicopter Rescue Saves Two

Two canoers stranded in the dark wilderness got a second chance thanks to a rescue team making history in the night sky.

The Minnesota Air Rescue Team lifted two people to safety on May 14 after their canoe capsized in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The pair lost all their gear when their boat sank, leaving them unable to survive the night on their own.

The call came in around 11:00 p.m., and rescuers faced a challenging situation. High water levels and strong currents made ground rescue nearly impossible in the rugged terrain.

That's when the Minnesota State Patrol pilots and Saint Paul Fire Department rescuers took to the air. Video footage shows the team carefully lowering rescuers between trees to reach the stranded pair, then hoisting them to safety one by one.

The mission marked a major first for the team. They had never performed a nighttime hoist rescue before this emergency.

The Bright Side

This rescue shows how far Minnesota's emergency response capabilities have come. The Air Rescue Team now has the training, equipment, and expertise to save lives even in the most challenging conditions: darkness, rough terrain, and rising waters.

The successful mission means future adventurers in trouble won't have to wait until daylight for help. That capability could save lives when every hour counts.

Both canoers were flown safely to Ely Airport after the rescue. They walked away from an experience that could have ended very differently without the team's new skills.

The Boundary Waters draws thousands of paddlers each year to its pristine lakes and forests. Now those visitors have an extra layer of protection watching over them, day or night.