HOLDEN, Maine — At Maine All Terrain Search and Rescue (MAT-SAR), most days are spent retrieving cars and ATV's. But on Thursday, the group got a call about something a little different stuck in the mud -- a Russian jet fighter, or a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 to be specific.
According to MAT-SAR President, Michael Watson, the aircraft had been used for display at the Maine Military Supply store in Holden, when it rolled off its cement pad and sank into the lawn nearby.
"It isn't something we'd normally do, but it provided a unique opportunity," Watson said. "We had to jack it up and move it out."
Although Watson said this was a pretty simple job, it was great practice for a bigger and more dangerous scenario in the future.
Watson said they could be asked to move woodpiles or trees after natural disasters, which would require a lot of safety and care.
MAT-SAR is a non-profit specializing in just about everything search and rescue-related in the state of Maine. From service requests about missing persons and equipment, to snowmobiles stuck in the woods, the dedicated volunteers that make up MAT-SAR are there to help.
"We're one of 15 groups in Maine, most have their own abilities and talents. For us, we're a vehicle and technology-based team," Watson said.
