The school bus made famous by Jon Krakauer's book Into the Wild and the 2007 film has been air lifted out of the Alaskan bush.
The Alaskan National Guard used a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to relocate Bus 142 from the Stampede Trail near Healy after concerns that it had becomea dangerous draw for tourists.
The shell of the 1940s school bus, dubbed the "Magic Bus" in the book Into the Wild was the site where 24-year-old Chris McCandless' body was found after a misadventure into the Alaskan interior. Authorities had become concerned that it was becoming a "perilous attraction" after increasing number of tourists, inspired by the story had made the pilgrimage to the site.
Operation Yutan: The 'Magic Bus' was removed by Chinook helicopter. Photo / Supplied, Alaska National Guard
The State of Alaska recorded 15 "bus related" search and rescue operations in the past 10 years. Most of those rescued are international tourists with little experience in the bush.
Last July, a woman from Belarus died after being swept away by flooding while visiting the bus on her honeymoon. As recently as February a party of five Italian hikers were rescued from the trail with "severe frostbite".
McCandless, the subject of the book, eventually died too - after 114 days trying to survive off the land during a harsh Alaskan winter.
Out of the wild: The bus depicted in the film and book Into the Wild has been removed over safety concerns. Photo / Supplied, Alaska National Guard
The "abandoned and deteriorating vehicle that was requiring dangerous and costly rescue efforts, but more importantly, was costing some visitors their lives," said Corri Feige, Commissioner for the Department of Natural resources.
The bus was removed on Thursday during "Operation Yutan", which saw hole cut in the cabin roof and vegetation cleared from the site in order to winch the bus out of the wild.
Bus 142 was the setting for Sean Penn's 2007 film, Into the Wild. Photo / Supplied
"After studying the issue closely, weighing many factors and considering a variety of alternatives, we decided it was best to remove the bus from its location on the Stampede Trail," said Feige. "We're fortunate the Alaska Army National Guard could do the job as a training mission to practice airlifting vehicles, at no cost to the public or additional cost to the state."
The department has not commented on where the bus is being stored but said "possible plans to display the bus for the public" at a safe location which has yet to be identified.
