7 Eskimo Hunters Rescued After Weeks at Sea

Seven Eskimo walrus hunters who disappeared for three weeks in the Bering Sea were safe Friday, having survived by eating sea mammals and birds and drinking water from icebergs.

Terry Cartee, a National Guard pilot, with an elderly Eskimo guiding his helicopter, landed on a spit of land on the southern shore of St. Lawrence Island on Thursday night and rescued the seven weary hunters, aged 13 to 39. On Friday, three were recovering from their ordeal in Anchorage hospitals, but the other four were reunited with friends and family on St. Lawrence.

The seven landed Wednesday night on southern St. Lawrence--their first dry land since leaving home June 2 in two skiffs for a one-day walrus hunt. On Thursday evening, they radioed a message that reached a relative in their home village of Savoonga, on the northern part of the island, who notified the National Guard.

The National Guard had just finished taking “one last look” for the hunters north of St. Lawrence, searching the Soviet coastline and Soviet waters for six hours in an unprecedented American search in Soviet territory.

Alaska Gov. Steve Cowper sought and received Soviet permission for the search. The Soviets had conducted their own search. And the Coast Guard had covered 93,083 square miles over and over again, spokesman Chris Haley said.