Northwest History. Alaska. Mercy Flights.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1930
• Subjects: arctic air; Nome; Alaska; arctic ocean; Frank Dorbandt; A. P. Jocquinson; fur trader; Karlse; Cape Serge; Siberia; Seattle skipper; Northland; Bering strait; seaplane; the Arctic ocean; ice; civilization; Cope; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Bering Strait; Nanuk; Pacific; The Landing
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/90376

Arctic Air Saga Writ By Flyer: Pilot Lands Amid Ice, Picks Up Ailing Man, Saves Fur Ship Woe. ARCTIC AIR SAGA WRIT BY FLYER Pilot Lands Amid Ice, Picks Up Ailing Man, Saves Fur Ship Woe. NOME, Alaska, Sept. 22. (/P) -- A daring flight over the rapidly freezing arctic ocean was completed here today with arrival of Pilot Frank Dorbandt, bringing with him Captain A. P. Jocquinson, who is critically ill and was marooned aboard the fur trader Karise off Cape Serge, Siberia, 250 miles north-west of here. The Seattle skipper, who is suffering- from kidney trouble and complications which have made him speechless, was placed in the Nome hospital. Dorbandt and his mechanic, Alonzo Cope, sent their thanks by radio to officers of the coast guard cutter Northland, which stood by in Bering strait under the line of their flight, during which they completed the first landing and takeoff of a seaplane in the Arctic ocean. The motorship Karise sent out a small power boat to break up ice near the ship, making the landing possible. The flight not only possibly saved the life of the captain, but also saved the Karise from being marooned in Arctic ocean until next summer, as was the fate of the other Swenson fur ship, Nanuk, last winter. Dorbandt and Cope observed location of' leads in the ice and radioed this information to the Karise, thus enabling the ship to reach civilization with its 1800,000 cargo of furs. The vessel was in slush ice, but its officers had no means of determining what routes to take to escape.