[chris]

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak C-130 Hercules aircrew assisted Alaska State Troopers in locating three overdue male boaters near Hazen Bay, Alaska, on Friday.

The boaters had reportedly left Chevak on Wednesday and were due in Newtok on Wednesday evening. They were reported to have no emergency communication equipment on board.

The aircrew found the boaters Friday evening on the shore of Hazen Bay, where they were waving their arms. A fire they had built helped the aircrew spot them in difficult visual search conditions.

The crew air dropped a VHF handheld radio and MREs to the boaters. Alaska State Troopers were notified and directed a search and rescue vessel to the location.