Coast Guard Helicopter Forced To Make Emergency Landing On Washington Island

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter that was on Washington Island after the crew made an emergency landing on Sunday was recovered Monday and is being transported back to Air Station Traverse City, Mich., to undergo necessary repairs.

A six-member recovery team from the air station arrived on Washington Island on Monday morning to begin the process of recovering the helicopter.

At about 5 p.m. CST, the crew loaded the trailered aircraft onto the Washington Island Ferry, Arni Richter, for a 30-minute transit back to Northport Pier in Door County, Wis. The aircraft is now being transported back to the air station on a commercially-contracted trailer for in-depth maintenance.

On Sunday morning, approximately 30 minutes after takeoff from Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, the air crew declared an in-flight emergency with air traffic control before landing safely on the beach on Washington Island. There were no injuries.

A Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., arrives at Northport Pier in Door County, Wis., on a flatbed trailer March 3, 2014 following a brief ferry transit from Washington Island.