SitNews - Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Coast Guard rescues 7 after vessel sinks in Thorne Bay

 

June 29, 2018
Friday PM


(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - A Coast Guard Station Ketchikan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew rescued seven people from a life raft in Thorne Bay today after their 58-foot fishing vessel Mystic Lady ran aground and sank.

A Station Ketchikan RB-M boat crew arrived on scene and took the five adults and two children aboard. The boat crew took them to a Thorne Bay pier in good condition.

jpg Coast Guard rescues 7 after vessel sinks in Thorne Bay

An inflatable life raft sits in Thorne Bay after a Coast Guard Station Ketchikan Response Boat-Medium boat crew rescued seven people from a sinking vessel in Thorne Bay on June 29, 2018. All seven people were reported to be in good condition at the time of the rescue.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Ketchikan.

Coast Guard watchstanders received a 406 emergency position indicating radio beacon alert and a mayday broadcast via VHF-FM Channel 16 from the master of the Mystic Lady reporting that his vessel struck a rock and was sinking quickly. The master stated that seven people were abandoning ship into a life raft. Coast Guard watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Ketchikan boat crew.

The boat crew arrived on scene to see seven people waving their arms in an inflatable life raft near the entrance of Thorne Bay.

“We were the first to arrive on scene, and I’m thankful that we were able to assist these people as quickly as we could,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Fischer, the small boat coxswain during the case. “With the inflatable life raft that the survivors used, they increased their own chances of survival exponentially until we were able to be on scene and assist.”

The Mystic Lady is reported to have 350 gallons of diesel fuel and 25 gallons of lube oil on board. There were no reports of pollution. Marine Safety Detachment Ketchikan personnel will conduct an investigation.

Weather on scene at the time of the rescue was 12 mph winds, 2-foot seas, 10 miles visibility, and air temperature of 53 degrees.

The Coast Guard encourages all mariners to have an EPIRB, a working VHF-FM radio, life jackets, an inflatable life raft and extra supplies in case of an emergency.

 

 

 

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

 

Source of News:

United States Coast Guard
www.uscg.mil

 

 

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

 


Submit A Letter to SitNews

Contact the Editor

SitNews ©2018
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

 Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources.

E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us

Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.