Coast Guard responds to two SE vessels in distress

Three people are reported safe after their fishing boat sank in southern Southeast Alaska.

The 42-foot ‘Equity,’ homeported out of Sitka, reportedly hit some rocks on the southwest side of Heceta Island after ten o’clock Thursday night. Three people on board scrambled into a life raft after a mayday call on channel 16. A Coast Guard H-60 helicopter from Sitka was dispatched to the scene.  Another fishing vessel, the ‘High Pocket,’ arrived and retrieved the three crewmembers. They were transported to Klawock.  The H-60 arrived on-scene a few minutes after the ‘High Pocket.’

The Equity’s EPIRB was turned off and holes were punched in the life raft, but it still may be floating in the area.  No injuries were initially reported.

Earlier in the evening, the same H-60 was sent to investigate the report of a red flare near Mary Island south of Ketchikan. The flare had been spotted by the crew of the fishing vessel ‘Nancy Marie.’

A 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station Ketchikan was also dispatched to the scene.

The fishing vessel ‘Alaskan Knight’ with three people on board had apparently lost its propeller. It’s unclear if they tried using the radio to call for assistance.

The vessel was towed back to Ketchikan where Coast Guardsmen did a post search-and-rescue boarding. No violations were immediately found and no injuries were reported.

 

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