U.S. Coast Guard Rescues Nine From Grounded Fishing Vessel in Bering Sea
On Monday, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter aircrew rescued nine crewmembers from a crab boat that grounded off the coast of St. George Island, a tiny outpost in the Bering Sea just southeast of St. Paul.
The Arctic Sea was under way and laden with crab when she lost power off St. George, operator Erik Deakin told Anchorage Daily News. In 50-knot winds and 10-foot waves - not unusual for the Bering in January - the vessel drifted and grounded on the island's northern side, near the island's sole settlement.
Deakin first learned of the vessel's situation at about 0400 hours on Monday, he told ADN, and he first contacted the crab boat North Sea to divert and assist. North Sea maintained comms via Starlink throughout the response, he said.
The Arctic Sea was taking on water and the situation on board was worsening. A U.S. Coast Guard station received a VHF mayday call from the Arctic Sea's crew and dispatched a helicopter aircrew out of Cold Bay to assist. The cutter Alex Haley and an HC-130 Hercules long range SAR aircraft also got under way.
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Surface conditions on scene were not favorable for approaching the stricken crab boat, nor for abandoning ship into a raft. However, the crew made preparations to use their raft if required, according to ADN. Before the Arctic Sea's crew had to evacuate, the helicopter aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the survivors aboard and delivered them safely to St. Paul. No injuries were reported.
"The crew of the Arctic Sea had effective communication and survival equipment onboard allowing them to quickly alert the Coast Guard of their distress and pre-stage items for a potential evacuation. This emergency preparedness greatly increased their chances of survival," said Capt. Vincent Jansen, Chief of Incident Management at the Arctic District, in a statement Monday.