The US Coast Guard rescued five people from a grounded fishing vessel on the northern shoreline of Umnak Island. No injuries were reported after the Ocean Bay began taking on water on April 2.
At approximately 04:45, watchstanders in Juneau received a distress call from the crew who reported the vessel was aground. Following the report, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules airplane were dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak.
The government agency also diverted the Waesche and issued an information broadcast to notify nearby mariners of the situation.
At 05:00, the Seafreeze Alaska arrived to assist with communications between the distressed vessel and the command centre. The Hercules and Waesche crews reached the scene at 08:00. to maintain contact while the fishermen successfully stopped the flooding and dewatered the Ocean Bay.
All five individuals were eventually hoisted by the Jayhawk aircrew at 11:15 and flown to Dutch Harbor for medical assessment.
Resolve Marine has been contracted to manage salvage operations for the grounded ship.
