Tag Archives: Coast Guard
Bi-Partisan effort to keep open permanently Newport, Charleston Coast Guard air bases
“We remain extremely concerned about Coast Guard air facilities in the high-use ports of Newport, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina,” the four lawmakers wrote Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; the committee’s ranking member Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.); Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), chair of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; and the House committee’s ranking member, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). click here to read the letter 13:09
Newport News man convicted for drunken fake distress call to Coast Guard
A Newport News man who drunkenly cried wolf out on the open water now faces up to 12 years in prison. 39-year-old Justin P. Stahmer was convicted by a federal jury on Monday for issuing a fake distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard. According to United States Attorney Dana J. Boente, Stahmer initially denied making the call, before saying he called the Coast Guard because he ran out of gas. When Coast Guard Boarding Officers inspected his boat, Stahmer became belligerent, which led to an arrest for boating under the influence of alcohol. click here to read the story 10:47
Coast Guard tows disabled fishing vessel with 30,000 lbs. catch off New Hampshire coast
The Coast Guard towed an adrift 65-foot fishing vessel to Gloucester Harbor after becoming disabled about 30 miles off the coast of New Hampshire, Friday. Unable to receive help from a sister ship and concerned about the impending weather, the captain of the vessel, Black Beauty, contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, at about 4:45 p.m. He reported their transmission stopped working, there were five people aboard, and they had 30,000 lbs. of catch on board. click here to read the story 09:29
Seattle-based Alaska crab fleet alerted to new hazard: They’re carrying heavier pots
Alaska crab boats carry stability reports meant to guide the safe loading of up to several hundred crab pots that may be used to bring in a catch from the turbulent Bering Sea. But Coast Guard spot checks found that most of these documents significantly underestimate the weights of the steel-framed pots. The checks were spurred by a Coast Guard investigation into the Feb. 11 sinking of the Seattle-based Destination and the loss of all six of its crew. One of the vessel’s pots — retrieved from the Bering Sea bottom in July — was found to weigh more than the Destination’s stability report had assumed, according to testimony in a Marine Board of Investigation into the disaster. click here to read the story 10:46
One Month After Grounding, ‘Pacific Paradise’ Salvage Continues Near Waikiki
Salvage efforts are on-going for the commercial fishing vessel Pacific Paradise nearly a month after the vessel grounded off Kaimana Beach near Waikiki on Oahu. Over the weekend, the Coast Guard brought on personnel from Resolve Marine Group, Global Diving and Salvage, Pacific Environmental Corporation and the Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team from the Marine Safety Center to survey the vessel and further develop and update the salvage plan. The vessel originally grounded Oct. 11. photo’s, click here to read the story 12:53
Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew forward deployed to Cold Bay, Alaska, medevaced a man Wednesday from the 154 -foot fishing vessel Defender 260 miles north of Cold Bay. The Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the man at 10:45 a.m. and safely transported him to St. Paul where he was transferred to commercial medical services. He was later transported to Anchorage, Alaska, for further medical care. click here to read press release 11:27
Coast Guard rescues 3 people from fishing boat that ran aground in Gloucester
The Coast Guard has rescued three people from a fishing boat that ran aground in Gloucester. The boat can be seen washed up on the jetty. The Northeast United States Coast Guard shared a photo of the rescue via Twitter Thursday morning. 7News has a crew on the way and will provide the latest details as they become available. Video, click here 08:12
Coast Guard, fire department rescue 3 from boat grounded off Gloucester -USCG- click here
The crew of the vessel Anne Rowe reported they were in trouble at 4:30 a.m., according to Station Gloucester Petty Officer Haran Ellis. photo’s click here
BREAKING: DRAMATIC CAPTURE ANNE ROWE FREED! – For a few moments she was on her side and I think I could hear my heartbeat. She righted herself, was towed away from the rocks by Unity, and headed home by her own power. click here for video, and a bunch of great photo’s
2 injured in oil platform fire in Gulf of Mexico
Two people were injured Wednesday morning (Nov. 8) in a fire on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Shell said. The remaining 46 workers were safely evacuated. A Shell spokesman said the fire happened at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday on its Enchilada platform at Garden Banks 128. Shell said it had identified the source of the fire and was “actively responding to the situation.” “An early morning U.S. Coast Guard overflight is complete and there were no signs of oil on the water at that time,” Shell said. click here to read the story 11:03
Salvage efforts continue for grounded fishing vessel off Kaimana Beach
Responders are continuing work to salvage the commercial fishing vessel Pacific Paradise grounded just off Kaimana Beach on Oahu. Over the weekend, the Coast Guard brought on personnel from Resolve Marine Group, Global Diving and Salvage, Pacific Environmental Corporation and the Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team from the Marine Safety Center. This team surveyed the vessel and are working to further develop and update the salvage plan. click here to read the story 23:25
Coast Guard medevacs injured fisherman near Freeport, Texas
The Coast Guard medevaced an injured fisherman from a fishing vessel approximately eight miles south of Freeport, Texas, Tuesday morning . At 9:29 a.m., Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders overheard a report on Channel 16 of a crewmember aboard the fishing vessel Lady Tina who suffered a possible concussion and broken leg. A Station Freeport boatcrew arrived on scene at 10:40 a.m. and transported the injured man to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Coast Guard Station Freeport. The man was last reported in stable condition. -USCG-
On This Day – November 4, 1991 – Swordfishing Boat Missing, Overdue
The Coast Guard continued searching today for a fishing boat due back in Gloucester last Friday from a trip to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, Canada. The 70-foot Andrea Gail was supposed to have returned to port by Saturday with its crew of six fishermen. Several Gloucester fishermen were said to be aboard the vessel, but Coast Guard officials were withholding crew members’ names this morning pending notification of their families. The vessel has not been heard from since Thursday when it was reported to be 180 miles east-northeast of Canada’s Sable Island. The missing vessel was reported to be encountering 30-foot seas and 50 to 80-know winds kicked up by the northeaster that devastated coastal New England last week. click here to read the story 08:13
Fisherman dies getting pulled overboard off the coast of Eureka on Wednesday afternoon.
Redcrest resident and fisherman Melvin Richard Van Ronk died Wednesday afternoon after becoming entangled in fishing gear and being pulled overboard while fishing off the coast of Eureka, according to the Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday. Van Ronk, 77, was fishing on the vessel “Ruth R” out of Eureka about 15 miles off the coast when he became entangled in the fishing gear, according to Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay Public Information Officer Audra Forteza. click here to read the story 22:23
Coast Guard reminds icing dangers, vessel stability for winter fishing season in Alaska
The Coast Guard reminds commercial fishing vessel operators to be aware of the dangers of icing and vessel stability as the winter fishing season gets underway across Alaska. A vessel’s center of gravity can rapidly rise when freezing spray accumulates high above the main deck. Icing conditions exceeding 1.3 inches increase the risk of capsizing and sinking. Operators should use all available resources to determine if icing and freezing spray is forecast in their location for the next 48 to 72-hour time window. If icing conditions are forecast or present, operators should seek shelter, reduce speed, change course and manually remove ice. click here to read press release 15:55
Coast Guard rescues four fishermen near South Padre Island, vessel sinks
Coast Guard crews rescued four fishermen from a sinking commercial fishing vessel 5 miles east of South Padre Island, Texas, Monday evening. At 6:20 p.m., the captain of the vessel Ben & Casey contacted Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders on VHF Channel 16 to report the vessel was taking on water and in need of assistance. Two Coast Guard Station South Padre Island response boat crews arrived on scene at 6:41 p.m. and passed dewatering pumps to the crew of the Ben & Casey. click here to read the story 09:43
Doubt surrounds stranded sailors as Coast Guard reveals women had emergency beacon and never activated it
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday that the two Hawaii women who say they were lost at sea never activated their emergency beacon, adding to a growing list of inconsistences that cast doubt on the women’s harrowing tale of survival. Parts of their story have been called into question, including the tropical storm the two say they encountered on their first night at sea in May. National Weather Service records show no organized storms in the region in early May. When asked if the two had the radio beacon aboard, the women told the AP on Friday they had a number of other communications devices, but they didn’t mention the EPIRB. click here to read the story 08:37
Last Hope: Coast Guard Alaska Search and Rescue
Every year boats from Washington state head to Alaska for one of the most dangerous jobs known to man: commercial fishing. Those crews often face hurricane-force winds and giant waves. So, there is a dedicated group of people ready to jump at a moment’s notice to keep them safe. It’s 5:00 a.m. in Kodiak, Alaska – where only a few fishing vessels still sit idle. Most are on the open sea for salmon season, but on this morning, the crew of the Laguna Star prepares to head out for weeks in search of a big catch. Sitting in a salvage yard a mile away is another vessel – the Miss Destinee, just seven days after a wave capsized the boat. Two deckhands drowned inside. click here to read the story 08:02
Still Stuck! State, Coast Guard still trying to move fishing vessel
A fishing boat that ran onto a reef close to Kaimana Beach in Waikiki nearly two weeks ago is sticking around a little longer. The Coast Guard has made multiple attempts to move the Pacific Paradise, but the 79-foot vessel hasn’t moved. The Coast Guard explained a plan is being developed to either reduce the weight of the ship after taking on water, or even trying to lift the vessel rather than pull it. Before any further actions, the Coast Guard will take a complete assessment to get the Pacific Paradise off the reef. Video, click here to read the story 12:02
Coast Guard, partner agencies search for missing fisherman in the Gulf
The Coast Guard is searching for a missing man who was last seen aboard a fishing vessel approximately 37 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Sunday. The missing man is reported to be Vietnamese and wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants. The vessel identified through inquiry is F/V Miss Quinh Chi II. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received the report of the missing person at approximately 11:30 p.m. and directed the launch of Coast Guard Cutter Skipjack, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile to search for the man. Marine units from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office are also on scene searching for the man. –USCG– 15:34
Reassessed: More than half a million gallons of oil spilled in Gulf near Lousisiana
The U.S. Coast Guard has reassessed an oil spill that happened Oct. 13 (click here) near Venice Louisiana. While initial reports were thought to be at about 400,000 gallons of oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico, LLOG, the company which owns the pipleine, estimates that 16,000 barrels were spilled — approximately 672,000 gallons of spilled oil. The oil discharge from a damaged pipeline approximately 40 miles south east of Venice, Louisiana. click here to read the story 11:51
Coast Guard medevacs 62-year-old man from vessel near Point Piedras
The Coast Guard medevaced a 62-year-old man from the fishing vessel Pamela Rose approximately eight nautical miles north of Point Piedras, Thursday morning. At approximately midnight, a good Samaritan contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders reporting that the 54-foot fishing vessel Pamela Rose’s mast broke, which injured two crew members leaving one crew member unresponsive, and without a pulse. Watchstanders dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter,, crew hoisted the man into the helicopter and transported him to Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach watchstanders dispatched a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Morro Bay to tow the fishing vessel Pamela Rose into Morro Bay Harbor. The medevaced man was last reported to be in stable condition. click for video -USCG-
Coast Guard assists fishing vessel taking on water near Ocracoke Island, NC
The Coast Guard came to the aid of a boat taking on water off Ocracoke Island Tuesday. Watchstanders in the Sector North Carolina Command Center in Wilmington received notification that the 72-foot fishing vessel Capt. Jimmy was taking on water in Pamlico Sound near Bluff Shoal Light at about 3:30 a.m.Two 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crews from Station Hatteras Inlet arrived on scene and passed dewatering pumps and personnel to the fishing boat to assist. The dewatering pumps helped keep up with the flooding while one of the Hatteras Inlet crews escorted the Capt. Jimmy south to the Neuse River entrance, where a 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Station Fort Macon took over the escort. -USCG-08:25
Coast Guard suspends search for missing worker after explosion
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended their search for a Texas man who disappeared when an oil and gas platform exploded on a lake near New Orleans. Authorities identified 44-year-old Timothy Morrison, of Katy, Texas, as the missing man. He was a subcontractor working on the structure. “The decision to suspend a search is never an easy one,” said Cmdr. Zac Ford. “We send our thoughts and prayers to the Morrison family and all those affected by this incident.” click here to read the story 19:04
Petty Officer 1st Class Bill Colclough says, Boater beware: Vessel documentation fraud lurks online
A new scam is targeting boat owners looking to save a little time online, but it’s costing them hundreds of dollars: Websites offering documentation renewal services for a fee. These websites lure boaters with the appearance and convenience of an official government website, but, just because a site looks like the Coast Guard and works like the Coast Guard, that does not mean it’s the Coast Guard. Boaters using these websites can end up spending three times the standard fee, and Coast Guard boarding officers will not accept their vessel’s documentation as valid. Why? Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Bill Colclough click here to read the story 09:46
Global Diving Helps Refloat Boats After Hurricane Harvey
The fishing vessel R&R is floating once again after spending a month at the bottom of Conn Brown Harbor in Aransas Pass, Texas. The 100-ton shrimp boat got entangled with another vessel and sank during Hurricane Harvey. She was refloated by Global Diving and Salvage, which was contracted by the Coast Guard and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to remove her from the waterway. Approximately 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel and other pollutants were pumped off before de-watering the vessel. images, click here to read the story 21:08
Coast Guard medevacs injured fisherman 25 miles off Nantucket
The Coast Guard medevaced a seriously injured fisherman Saturday from a boat 25 miles east of Nantucket, Massachusetts. A man aboard the fishing vessel Hera contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England Saturday evening and reported another crewman suffered a head laceration, and was in immediate need of professional medical care. A helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod deployed to medevac the man, and flew him to Massachusetts General Hospital where his care was transferred to medical personnel. –USCG– 08:26
Submerged fishing boat near Chebeague Island prompts Coast Guard investigation
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating reports of a submerged fishing boat off the coast of Chebeague Island A captain, at the Coast Guard command center in South Portland, said a report came in just before 12:30 Saturday afternoon for a wooden fishing boat mostly submerged in the area of Chandlers Cove. The cove is located between Chebeague and Long Island off the coast of Falmouth. (We will update as details becomes available) click here to read the story 15:34
Coast Guard, crews work to remove grounded fishing boat off Waikiki
The U.S. Coast Guard and private contractors were back in Waikiki today trying to refloat and remove the 79-foot fishing vessel that was grounded a few hundred yards off Kaimana Beach in Waikiki late Tuesday. Today’s late-morning high tide was expected to help the effort and officials were expecting to get the ship free today. On Thursday, crews worked to safely remove fuel and other pollutants from the Pacific Paradise ahead of today’s effort to remove the vessel. click here to read the story 22:35
‘Playing with fire’: Fishing’s cruel seas and even crueler economics
On Feb. 12, 2013, an unseasonably warm evening, five young fishermen departed the West Head wharf on Cape Sable Island, N.S. aboard the Miss Ally, a 12-metre Cape Islander. The men, spanning in age from 21 to 33 — three of them fathers of young children—were headed out in pursuit of halibut, a valuable winter catch. On deck that night were Billy Jack Hatfield, a recently-engaged 33-year-old; Cole Nickerson, 28, a burly and strong former junior hockey player; Joel Hopkins, a 27-year-old father of two who absolutely loved the thrill of fishing; and Tyson Townsend, 25, a gifted athlete with a seven-month-old daughter. At the wheel, piloting the boat into darkness, was Katlin Nickerson, Miss Ally’s 21-year-old captain and owner. click here to read the story 13:13
Coast Guard, HFD rescue 20 fishermen from aground vessel off Honolulu
Twenty fishermen were transported to shore from an aground vessel less than a half mile off Honolulu early Wednesday morning. Honolulu Fire Department Jet Ski crews transported fishermen from the vessel to a Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium for further transport to awaiting emergency responders at Ala Wai Harbor. A Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter crew hoisted two of the fishermen and the master of the vessel and transported them to Honolulu airport. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received three reports of the 79-foot commercial fishing vessel Pacific Paradise grounded off Diamond Head click here to read the story 10:58
Coast Guard, partners respond to grounded fishing vessel near El Capitan State Beach
Coast Guard and local partner agencies are responding to a grounded commercial fishing vessel near El Capitan State Beach Saturday. At approximately 5:30 a.m., the crew aboard the Kaylee J notified Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach that their vessel ran aground and requested assistance. The crew aboard were reportedly not injured. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment personnel in Santa Barbara responded and reported no oil pollution in the water. A unified command was established between the Coast Guard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response and California State Parks to remove oil and hazardous materials held within the vessel’s structure. The cause of the incident is under investigation. -USCG- 18:41
