Rescuers had lost hope after hours of searching following plane crash—until a passenger's iPad led to 'miracle' rescue
In a search and rescue mission, every clue counts. It takes a great deal of skill to identify even the smallest details and extract leads from them. The Pennsylvania State Police revealed how a simple clue like this helped them rescue a dad-daughter duo after their plane crashed, CNN stated. The 58-year-old was piloting a single-engine Cessna 150 with his teenage daughter from Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, when it crashed shortly after its departure. The authorities were able to work on a “miraculous” recovery after an iPad gave them the hint they needed.
The search teams were deployed shortly after the plane’s radar signal was no longer traceable. The authorities joined with the United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and conducted a five-hour search before they located the duo. In chilling temperatures, with no clues to work with, the officers had a risky search ahead of them. They immediately got to work by first identifying the pilot and getting his contact details from his wife, who was awaiting them at their expected destination. Chief James Serafin with the Bear Creek Volunteer Hose Company explained how they stumbled upon the passenger’s iPad and were able to retrieve the most important clue, per 2282 News.
“They (rescue team) were able to ping the cell phone, and they found out that the daughter had an iPad and with certain iPads, you’re able to ping signals to it,” he mentioned. They were able to locate the coordinates and set out on a deep search. The location received from the device seriously narrowed their search, giving the team time to put their full attention within the coordinates. All was not predicted yet. The place they were supposed to be was a dangerous one and with the snow around, it was worrisome how the duo might have even survived. “From what I hear and see, you don’t really hear of survivors, especially in the area that they crashed, it’s very heavily wooded,” the chief explained.
He added, “You’re dealing with the woods, the swamps, the hills, rocks, boulders, you ‘re dealing with all kinds of terrain up here.” After a frantic and skilled search using the location, the duo was finally found alive 7 miles southeast of Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport. They were in a pre-hypothermic state and suffered minor injuries but were immediately transported to the hospital for treatment. In an interview with NewsNation, Sergeant John Richards from the Pennsylvania State Police noted that it was the “first time” in years of his service that he had arrived at a plane crash site where passengers survived such wooded and heavy terrain.
The chief considered the search a “miracle” given the terrain and highlighted the iPad’s single clue that led to a massive lead in the operation. “They had to go through trees and everything else. It definitely was a miracle,” he noted. The authorities also commended the girl, as it was her iPad that helped. “The daughter saved both of them by using her iPad. Dad was cuddling his daughter to give her warmth because they were both exposed to the elements and were suffering from hypothermia at the time,” Chief Serafin revealed.