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Tag: Coast Guard

West Wind

West Wind

The 46 foot long fishing vessel West Wind sank off Crescent City, California.   The West Wind were fishing crab when the crew noticed the vessel was riding lower in the water.  Upon inspection, they found the boat was taking on water.   The crew sent out a distress call to the Coast Guard.   The message was garbled, but the Coast Guard was able to calculate the approximate location and dispatched a helicopter and motor lifeboat to the scene.   The helicopter reached the scene and found the crew of three in a raft with two of them in their survival suits.  The helicopter was able to winch up all three men and safely return to Crescent City.   The one crewman who was not in a survival suit suffered from hypothermia.   There was some debris from the sunken vessel, but no signs of a fuel spill.

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Alaska Rescues – Part 1

Alaska Rescues – Part 1

Photo: USCG / Charly Hengen

The 58 foot fishing vessel Kimberly went aground in Jute bay, Shelikof Strait, Alaska.  The vessel relayed its situation to family who contacted the Coast Guard.   The fishing vessel was hard aground and the crew remained on board overnight due the winds reaching 100 mph and 16 foot waves.   The Coast Guard dispatched an airplane and helicopter to the scene who were nearby waiting until daylight to attempt a rescue.   Just as dawn approached, a second helicopter was dispatched to allow the first to return for refueling.   As the second helicopter approached, another call was received that another vessel was sinking off Kodiak Island.  While the helicopter was away, the four crew of the Kimberly walked to shore during low tide.   A third helicopter arrived and hoisted the four crew safely on board.    No reports of injuries.   The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation into the incident.

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