Coast Guard rescues four who abandoned ship south of Atka Island, Alaska
5/12/2019
U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 463-2065
After Hours: (907) 209-8731
17th District online newsroom
JUNEAU, Alaska — An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew rescued four people who abandoned ship after their boat began taking on water when it reportedly hit a rock south of Atka Island, Saturday.
Coast Guard District 17 command center watchstanders received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon alert from the fishing vessel Clyde. Watchstanders were able to reach the fishing vessel captain’s wife who confirmed he was aboard the vessel relative to where the alert was coming from.
Shortly after, the captain’s wife called the Coast Guard and notified that she received a phone call from her husband stating the Clyde was sinking and all four people were abandoning ship into life rafts.
Watchstanders quickly diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley with a Dolphin helicopter and crew aboard. They also launched a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak C-130 Hercules aircraft crew.
The Dolphin helicopter crew arrived on scene and located one life raft and one zodiac with all four people aboard headed towards the shore. The Dolphin crew waited for the survivors to make it to shore, landed nearby, embarked the four survivors and transported them to Adak clinic where they were evaluated with no reported medical concerns.
“Multiple factors played a role in the survivability of these individuals,” said Lt. Danny Piazza, Coast Guard District 17 command duty officer. “Having a working and registered EPIRB along with the quick thinking to abandon ship into the life rafts allowed us the time and information needed to arrive on scene and perform and safe and timely rescue.”
The Hercules aircraft landed in Adak and transported the survivors back to Air Station Kodiak.
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