The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people Friday afternoon after their helicopter crashed about nine miles southwest of the Dutch Harbor Airport.
Petty Officer Bill Colclough said the small two-seater aircraft went down during whiteout conditions in a mountainous area on Unalaska Island.
"They apparently encountered some heavy weather and crashed," said Colclough. "Fortunately, we were able to locate them in time because they activated their personal locator beacon."
The air station in Kodiak sent a rescue helicopter crew to find the pilot and the passenger, who were taken to Unalaska's clinic with minor cuts and bruises.
Coast Guard officials did not release information about who the two people are or if they're from Unalaska.
Although the helicopter crashed in heavy snow, Colclough said it's possible something else brought the aircraft down.
"There will most likely be an investigation into the cause of the crash," he said. "The Coast Guard may be a part of it, and it could entail the Federal Aviation Administration and some other state and federal agencies."
At the time of the crash, officials said there was less than one mile of visibility and winds blowing at nine miles per hour.
