Tag Archives: Coast Guard
One rescued from shrimp boat fire near Fort Pike State Historic Site
A shrimp boat burst into flames Thursday morning near Fort Pike State Historic Site in New Orleans. One person was rescued from the boat. Kirk Jacobs with the Fort Pike Volunteer Fire Department said the person rescued was the only one on the boat. The Coast Guard also responded to the fire. This is a developing story. Video, >click to watch< 09:37
Omega Protein boat rescues six from capsized boat in Mississippi Sound
A group of boaters who were stranded in the Mississippi Sound are thankful to be alive. Around 2 p.m. Tuesday, a crew of fishermen with Omega Protein rescued six people, including two children, from a small boat that had capsized. Capt. Joel Deihl said he got a distress call from the Coast Guard asking for help. After his two fishing boats located the capsized vessel, they pulled two people from the water and another four from the overturned boat. Video, >click to read< 10:16
Coast Guard Medevacs 67-year-old fishing vessel Captain from Matagorda Bay, Texas
The Coast Guard medevaced an injured man from Matagorda Bay, Texas, Thursday. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received notification at 4:17 p.m. from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office that the 67-year-old captain of the commercial fishing vessel F/V Master Ricky had reportedly been struck in the head by rigging block while working gear and was intermittently unconscious. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. >click to read < 21:40
Crewman Medevaced from Commercial Fishing Vessel in the Gulf
The Coast Guard medevaced a crew member Sunday from a fishing vessel 40 miles southeast of Cameron, Louisiana. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 2:57 a.m. from the 85-foot fishing vessel F/V Jonathan Boy II, stating a 60-year-old crew member was experiencing unconsciousness, clammy, pale skin, heavy breathing, and extreme fatigue. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. photos, >click to read< 17:11
Commercial fisherman medevac’d 50 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina
The Coast Guard medevac’d a man Wednesday aboard the fishing vessel F/V Crystal C, 50 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina. A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew transferred John Gary Modin to awaiting emergency medical services at Air Facility Charleston. EMS transported him to the Medical University of South Carolina for further medical care. >click to read< 18:30
Confined Space: Dangerous Gas Buildup in Fish Holds
Four crewmembers onboard a commercial fishing vessel noticed an unusual odor coming from the fish hold while conducting shrimping operations. While under the assumption that the odor was due to a leaking refrigerant line, the crew hauled in their nets and began transiting back to port to have their system inspected by a service technician. As they were packing the last haul of catch into bags, one of the crewmembers went down into the fish hold to retrieve more bags. The crewmember subsequently fell back into the hold as he was trying to exit the space. A second crewmember failed to recognize the potential hazard and rushed into the space to provide assistance; however, he was immediately overcome by the gas and also fell into the hold. >click to read< 13:14
Blood pressure surging, waves swelling, Coast Guard airlifts F/V Captain John fisherman
A commercial scallop fisherman facing a medical emergency was safely airlifted from a vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard Wednesday evening. The rescue was made even more daring by the fact that the wind was blowing 35 knots and the waves were seven to 12 feet high, according to statements the boat’s crew made to the Press. The fisherman, Chris Vanbergen, 46 of Lacey, told the Asbury Park Press on Friday that he was feeling better a couple days after the ordeal. He was a few days into a 10-day scallop trip on board the F/V Captain John, which docks at Viking Village here, when he began to fill chest pain and his blood pressure rise. >click to read< 08:01
Coast Guard aircrew medevacs man from fishing vessel off New Jersey coast
The Coast Guard medevaced a 46-year-old man from the fishing vessel F/V Captain John Wednesday approximately 45 miles east of Point Pleasant. Another crewmember aboard the Captain John used a marine radio to notify Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders of the medical emergency at about 5:30 p.m. The man was safely medevaced at about 6:30 p.m. and taken to Air Station Atlantic City where his care was transferred to awaiting emergency medical services personnel. -USCG- 07:40
Coast Guard medevacs crewmember from fishing vessel near Port Fourchon, La.
Fisherwoman who died off Oregon Coast remembered by family
Billie Jo Hooton was on a fishing boat off the coast of Florence last weekend when it went down. Now her family wants to share their memories — remembering her as a strong woman, proud to thrive in a demanding profession. Mollie Gower and Brandi Christner said that their sister, Hooton, was an inspiration. “You don’t hear about a lot of women doing what she did, and she did it good,” said Christner. Hooton was a mother, sister, aunt, friend and made a living fishing. photos, video, >click to read< The family started a >GoFundMe< to help with a memorial for Hooton. Please donate if you can. 08:50
Family of woman who died after fishing boat sank near Florence speaks out
The U.S. Coast Guard said a woman has died and a man is missing after F/V White Swan III sank off the coast of Florence on March 26. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office said the man, Mike Morgan, was the captain. The 68-year-old is still missing but the Coast Guard called off the search after 24 hours of searching. The Coast Guard was able to recover the body of Billie Jo Hooton, who was a crew member on the boat. “She did everything, she would drop anything to do anything for anybody else,” Brandi Christner, her sister said. Hooton was close with her nephew, Jeremiah Gower. Video, >click to read< 09:03
F/V Alaska Ranger—the historic Bering Sea rescue that defied the odds
On Easter morning in 2008 at approximately 3:00 a.m., the fishing vessel F/V Alaska Ranger’s mayday call raced across radio waves of the Bering Sea bound for the radio room of any Coast Guard rescue center within reach. Forty-seven fishermen aboard the Alaska Ranger were donning survival suits for what would become one of the largest and most dramatic rescue cases in modern Coast Guard history. At the time, the 378-foot high-endurance Coast Guard Cutter Munro was on patrol near the Bering Sea fishing fleet. For days before its mayday call, the fishing vessel had been forcing its way through destructive pack ice. Very early on March 23, without any warning, frigid water began rushing into the ship’s rudder room, flooding adjoining spaces and disabling the ship. The Alaska Ranger lost steering and power and was at the mercy of the unforgiving Bering Sea. photos, >click to read< 13:41
Coast Guard suspends search for the Master of a 32-foot sunken fishing vessel off Florence
The Coast Guard suspended search efforts at 12:30 a.m. Sunday for the master of a 32-foot fishing vessel that sank approximately 35 miles offshore Florence late Friday night. The missing man has been identified as Mike Morgan, 68. Rescue crews saturated approximately 232 square-miles of search area over a 24-hour period but were unable to locate Morgan. The Coast Guard recovered an unresponsive female victim early Saturday morning, later discovered to be a crew member aboard the White Swan III. The female victim was pronounced deceased by local emergency crews. >click to read< 14:19
Updated: Coast Guard searches for the Master of a 32-foot sunken fishing vessel off Florence
North Bend, Ore. The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the master of a 32-foot fishing vessel that sank Saturday morning approximately 35 miles offshore Florence. Missing is Mike Morgan, 68. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Bend received a mayday call at approximately 12 a.m. Saturday from Morgan, the master of the white-and-black fishing vessel F/V White Swan III, reporting that his vessel was sinking in the north end of the Heceta Banks fishing area. Morgan reported that a female crew member was also aboard the vessel. The 13th Coast Guard District Command Center received an emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from F/V White Swan III. >click to read< 18:19
Crew member found ‘unresponsive’- search for ship’s captain ongoing – Searchers have recovered an unresponsive crew member from the Pacific Ocean and continue to scan the waves for a missing man after a fishing boat sank Saturday off the Oregon coast, officials said. They also have not publicly identified the person found unresponsive. >click to read< 19:40
Coast Guard responding to rescue 2 aboard sinking fishing vessel
U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crews are working to rescue two people aboard a fishing vessel sinking off the Oregon Coast Saturday morning, the service’s Pacific Northwest branch account said in a Tweet. According to the Coast Guard, the boat named White Swan III is taking on water about 35 miles from Florence and two people may be in danger. This story will be updated. >click to read< 13:11
Coast Guard medevacs man from fish processing vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska
The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a fish processing vessel approximately 50 miles north of Cold Bay Monday. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew deployed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley hoisted the 62-year-old man from the 254-foot fish processor, Phoenix, at 3:10 p.m. The patient was flown to Cold Bay and placed in the care of an air ambulance crew. “It’s been a busy few days for the Alex Haley crew and their embarked aircrew,” >click to read< 15:29
Video: Coast Guard medevacs injured man from F/V America’s Finest near Dutch Harbor, Alaska
The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a fish processing vessel approximately 92 miles northwest of Dutch Harbor Thursday. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew deployed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley hoisted the injured man from 262-foot fish processor America’s Finest at 12:52 p.m. The patient was flown to Dutch Harbor and placed in the care of LifeMed personnel. Watchstanders in the 17th Coast Guard District command center in Juneau received the initial medevac request from America’s Finest at 2:30 a.m. Thursday. Video, >click to read< 12:57
3 people rescued from shrimp boat fire off Ft. Myers Beach
The Coast Guard rescued three people, Thursday, after a 63-foot shrimping boat caught fire in San Carlos Bay near Ft. Myers Beach. A Coast Guard Station Ft. Myers Beach 29-foot Response Boat-small boat crew arrived on scene, transferred the survivors without injuries, and established a safety zone around the vessel. >click to read< 16:27
California: 3 commercial fishermen rescued off Sonoma Coast by fellow crabbers
Three commercial crabbers whose boat went down several miles off the Sonoma Coast were rescued late Tuesday afternoon through a combination of close communication and sheer luck. The crew of the Susan E already was in the water, clutching floating debris, when another fishing crew arrived, drawn by their frantic calls, and was able to pull them from the ocean in time. “It was f–king scary,” said Kyle Alexander, a deckhand on the 40-foot Argo, which had been harvesting crab from the Timber Cove area earlier in the day and was the only boat coming into Bodega Bay behind the Susan E from up north. “To see my friends floating next to a boat that was going down…” >click to read< 08:15
Fisherman found dead in water near Bodega Bay identified
The fisherman whose body was found last week in the water near Bodega Bay has been identified as a 30-year-old Sonoma man, authorities said. Ryan Kozlowski, a commercial crab fisherman, was identified by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Unit. His body was found about a mile from his boat, F/V Seastar on Friday by a Coast Guard search crew. >click to read< 07:57
Coast Guard, partner agencies continue salvage operations for grounded boat on Kehoe Beach
The Coast Guard and partner agencies are continuing salvage operations Tuesday that began Saturday for the grounded 42-foot commercial fishing boat F/V Seastar on Kehoe Beach. Contractors removed all fuel and hazardous materials from the F/V Seastar Saturday afternoon before commencing salvage operations. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received reports of the unmanned boat F/V Seastar adrift just North of Point Reyes around 9:20 a.m. Friday. The boat crew arrived on scene around 10:15 a.m., boarded the F/V Seastar, which was on the rocks, and did not attempt to tow the boat due to pollution and boat damage concerns. The boat crew confirmed the Seastar was unmanned, reported the captain missing and immediately began searching,,, photos, >click to read< 20:14
Body recovered after commercial fisherman goes overboard near Bodega Bay
Authorities recovered a body Friday afternoon after searching for a commercial crab fisherman reported overboard near the southern end of Bodega Bay. The search was launched after the young skipper’s boat was found adrift, with no one inside, local fishermen said. “The local fishing community helped out with the search plan of it, passing information about last communication with (the missing captain) at 9 p.m. last night,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said. “However, they did not suspect anything wrong until the report of the adrift vessel.” Members of the fishing community said the man was known to fish alone, despite pleas from his friends not to do so, said Dick Ogg, a well-known veteran fisherman. >click to read< 09:04
Busted: Coast Guard uncovers illegal halibut catch near Kodiak, Alaska
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco, homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska, boarded the 38-foot fishing vessel F/V Competition and discovered 18 halibut and one ling cod onboard that were retained while the season was closed. The crew seized the catch and issued violations for possession of halibut during a closed fishery, operating beyond 3 nautical miles with an expired EPIRB hydrostatic release, and not having a current commercial fishing vessel safety examination. >click to read< 19:24
Coast Guard Releases Results of Crab Pot Icing Study
Vessel icing, including the possibility of asymmetrical icing, was suggested as a causative factor in the F/V Scandies Rose loss of stability and, ultimately, its sinking. The Coast Guard has released the results of a study of ice accretion and ice accumulation on fishing pots, specifically crab/cod pots used in the Alaska/Bering Sea fishery. In December 2020, a Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation requested Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center (RDC) assistance for the study following icing factors involved in the loss of the fishing vessels Scandies Rose in 2019, and the F/V Destination in 2017. The MBI also noted the investigation into the 2017 loss of the Destination revealed that excessive icing directly contributed to the vessel loss of stability and rapid capsizing. >click to read< 14:46
Coast Guard rescues 4 from a life raft 69 miles west of St. Petersburg
A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew rescued four survivors from a life raft Monday after their fishing vessel F/V Right Stuff sank 69 miles west of St. Petersburg. Rescued were: Matt Whites, 42, Heather Whites, 40, Nicole Mendez, 22, and Mickey Maguire, 26. The aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the survivors aboard the aircraft and transported them to Air Station Clearwater where Emergency Medical Services personnel awaited. “This event highlights the importance of having proper survival gear and the thorough preparation by the crew of the vessel,” Video, >click to watch< 13″02
Video: Commercial fisherman medevac’d 58 miles southeast of Nantucket, Mass
The Coast Guard conducted a medevac of a fisherman 58 miles southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England watchstanders received a notification from the fishing vessel F/V Jean Marie, reporting that a crewmember was having trouble breathing, and were requesting assistance. Video, >click to read< 09:38
Video: Coast Guard rescues two fishermen from sinking vessel near Sitka
The Coast Guard rescued two fishermen from their sinking vessel, Monday in Islet Passage, near Sitka, Alaska. A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew hoisted the two fishermen at approximately 9 p.m. from the 40-foot fishing vessel, F/V Glory, approximately nine miles south of Sitka. The aircrew lowered a rescue swimmer to assess the vessel that was taking on water. The fishermen were unable to secure the source of the flooding and the rescue swimmer advised the fisherman to abandon ship. Video, >click to read< 18:39
Search suspended for Captain Michael Ramirez of F/V Lady Nora
The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing shrimp boat captain who fell overboard near Port Aransas, Texas, Sunday. Coast Guard crews searched approximately 1,416 square miles for over 32 combined hours. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a call on VHF-FM channel 16 at about 7 a.m. stating the Captain of the shrimp boat F/V Lady Nora had slipped and fallen overboard 7 miles northeast of the Port Aransas jetties. >click to read< 07:54
The search is on for overboard shrimp boat captain in the Gulf
The Coast Guard is searching for a 40-year-old man who fell overboard a commercial shrimping vessel near Port Aransas, Texas, Sunday. Missing is Michael Ramirez, who is 6-feet tall, 180 pounds and was last seen wearing a black jacket and boots. Ramirez was not wearing a life jacket. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a call on VHF-FM channel 16 at about 7 a.m. stating the captain of the shrimp boat F/V Lady Nora had slipped and fallen overboard 7 miles northeast of the Port Aransas jetties. >click to read< 14:30
Coast Guard medevacs commercial fisherman 90 miles east of Cape Ann
The Coast Guard medically evacuated an injured fisherman 90 miles east of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, Thursday. Coast Guard Sector Boston watchstanders received a notification from the fishing vessel F/V Sea Rambler, reporting that a crewmember had severely injured their arm in a hatch, and were requesting assistance. Video, >click to read< 12:50
