Joint rescue saves stranded scuba divers

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Adam Johnston
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa, Japan (AFPN) --  Thanks to the combined efforts of Airmen from Kadena Air Base and local Japanese responders here, two scuba divers were rescued early Monday morning following a five-hour search and rescue operation.

The two scuba divers -- a local Okinawan and a U.S. Marine -- were found clinging to the bottom of an 80-foot cliff in Okinawa as rain and 15-foot waves relentlessly pounded away at them.

“It was definitely a highly technical and dangerous rescue operation,” said 2nd Lt. Timothy L. James, a combat rescue officer with Kadena’s 31st Rescue Squadron. “It just goes to show that if U.S. and Japanese forces work together, there is nothing that can’t be accomplished.”

Six hours before their rescue, the wayward divers had helped two others get to safety on a similar cliff ledge at Maeda Point -- a popular dive site. Although they had helped save the other divers, the would-be rescuers became victims of the rough surf and weather.

Before Air Force rescuers were called, nightfall had set in -- along with hypothermia -- and the two divers simply hung on in the dark.

Japanese Coast Guard helicopters, searching for several hours, had already withdrawn because of the limitations created by the setting sun.

Within 40 minutes of the call, Airmen from the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Kadena had an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter ready to carry four aircrew and two pararescuers into the night.

Wearing night-vision goggles, the Airmen from the 31st and 33rd Rescue Squadrons arrived on scene at approximately 8:30 p.m.

While the Airmen flew flight patterns over the area trying to locate the two divers, they coordinated with Japanese rescuers on the ground. The local rescuers suspected a cave in the area and spotlighted it for the U.S. aircrew.

“We flew over the site and got visual confirmation on the two,” said Lieutenant James. “They were lodged in a hole just above the point where 15- to 20-foot waves were crashing into the side of the cliff.”

The first attempt at rescue came from the air.

Using a winch, the crew tried lowering pararescuemen Staff Sgt. Mark Molnar from the helicopter to the survivors.

That didn’t work.

Winds were too strong. And the two divers were clinging too close to the cliff.

The aircrew instead lowered both pararescuemen to the cliff top.

The second rescue attempt had Lieutenant James rappelling down the wet cliff face using a winch system anchored to the ground above.

“Once I was there, I assessed the survivors and they were without injuries,” Lieutenant James said. “They had a few minor cuts and scratches, but were showing the signs of hypothermia.”

Taking the brunt of the 15- to 20-foot waves pounding against the side of the cliff and himself, Lieutenant James said he hooked the first survivor into a harness and used “chem” lights to signal to Sergeant Molnar and the Japanese team atop the cliff to start pulling.

The rough exterior of the cliff gave the topside crew difficulty. “It took a while for the team to figure out how to effectively pull us up,” Lieutenant James said. “We were finally raised to a ledge that was about 30 feet above the cave.”

At this point the two scaled the remaining 50 feet on their own.

After the ground crew took time to readjust the hoist system, the lieutenant was again lowered to the second survivor.

“This time the system was working much better and the rescue team was able to pull us up much quicker,” he said.

The two survivors were handed off to Japanese fire and rescue crews on site at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday, and transported to local hospitals for observation. Both were released later that morning.

But the divers weren’t the only ones who sustained minor injuries. 

“Both of my guys were beaten against the coral cliffs by the crashing waves to the point it shredded their dry suits and booties,” said Lt. Col. Chuck Metrolis, 31st RQS commander. “They also had equipment ripped from their bodies during this rescue.”

But despite the danger, Lieutenant James said the rescue was a team effort by a variety of agencies. 

“It was nice to see how smoothly we worked together,” he said.