February 28, 2008

Crew saves fishing vessel, Coast Guard provides escort to Dutch Harbor

The Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley and some nearby boats helped the crew of a fish processor vessel extinguish a roaring fire Wednesday in the Bering Sea off Alaska's Aleutian Islands.

From a Coast Guard press release: The captain and crew battle fire and save fishing vessel Pacific Glacier overnight 136 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley provides escort to Dutch Harbor.

Responding to a Mayday call at 6:26 p.m. Tuesday, cutter Alex Haley arrived on scene just after midnight today as crew members from the Pacific Glacier were battling flames. The fire was reportedly contained at approximately 5 a.m. today.

"This appears to be an excellent fire response where the right training, proper equipment and "never-give-up" attitude came together with some good weather to keep this accident from becoming a tragedy," said Kenneth Lawrenson, Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Coordinator, 17th Coast Guard District.

A Coast Guard H-65 Dolphin helicopter deployed aboard the Alex Haley, a Coast Guard H-60 Jayhawk helicopter deployed in St. Paul, and a C-130 from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak also responded to the Mayday.

An investigation of the incident is being conducted by Coast Guard Sector Anchorage.

"The Coast Guard wants to insure that other fishing and processing vessels are able to learn lessons from this accident and keep themselves safe," said Lawrenson.