Coast Guard, good Samaritan assist vessel taking on water near Sitka, Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska – The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan assist a vessel taking on water near Sitka, Alaska, Saturday.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka delivered a dewatering pump to the fishing vessel Tamarack, which was taking on water approximately 35 miles west of Sitka Saturday. The crew of Tamarack utilized the dewatering pump to prevent additional flooding.
The good Samaritan vessel Pacific Bounty responded to the urgent marine information broadcast, arrived on scene and assisted in dewatering the vessel.
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco (WPC 1122), homeported in Ketchikan, along with the Pacific Bounty escorted the Tamarack into Sitka where it safely moored.
At 6 p.m. Friday, watchstanders in the Sector Juneau command center received a mayday call from the Tamarack stating it was taking on water and the three people aboard were donning survival suits. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, requested the launch of the Jayhawk aircrew, and diverted the crew of Bailey Barco from a nearby mission to assist.
-USC
