The US Coast Guard (USCG) rescued nine people from the grounded fishing vessel Arctic Sea near St. George Island, Alaska, on January 5, 2026.
At approximately 04:11, watchstanders in Juneau received a report that the 41-metre vessel was taking on water and had run aground along the island's northern shoreline.
Conditions at the scene included 10-foot (3-metre) seas and 50-knot (93-kilometre per hour) winds, which prevented the nearby fishing vessel North Sea from safely assisting.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Cold Bay and an HC-130 Super Hercules from Kodiak were launched to respond, while the cutter Alex Haley was diverted to the area.
At approximately 11:30, the helicopter crew successfully hoisted all nine people from the Arctic Sea. The survivors were transported to emergency medical services in St. Paul, and no injuries were reported.
Captain Vincent Jansen, Chief of Incident Management at the Arctic District, stated that the crew's emergency preparedness and survival equipment were vital in alerting the coast guard and facilitating the evacuation.
Resolve Marine has been contracted to oversee salvage operations for the vessel.
The Arctic Sea sustained hull damage during the grounding, which occurred amid a gale in the Bering Sea.
The USCG stated it continues to monitor the site as salvage teams mobilise to assess the grounded vessel and prevent further environmental impact.