Two mariners were rescued by the Coast Guard after their 64-foot commercial fishing vessel, Alitak, began taking on water near Cape Chiniak on Sunday morning.
The Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center received notification at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and instructed the Alitak to activate their emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB). The center also coordinated the launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Kodiak.
The aircrew arrived on the scene at 8:50 a.m. and located the distressed vessel 200 yards from shore. The rescue swimmer recovered both mariners who were wearing immersion suits and had gone into the water. The helicopter crew hoisted both survivors at 9:11 a.m. and transported them to awaiting emergency medical services at Air Station Kodiak. Both individuals were in stable condition and were transferred to the Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center for further medical assessment.
"This case highlights the importance of safety equipment," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Samantha Smith, a watchstander at the Sector Anchorage command center. "This could have had a much darker outcome if these two had not donned immersion suits and activated the vessel's EPIRB."
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast notifying vessels in the area of the adrift vessel.
The cause of the water intake on the fishing vessel remains under investigation.
