A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued all nine men aboard the crab boat Arctic Sea on Monday, seven hours after the 110-foot vessel went partially aground on the north side of St. George in the Pribilof Islands.
Coast Guard officials in Anchorage said there were no serious injuries among the rescued crew.
The vessel, which is based in Seattle, reported the grounding at around 4:11 a.m. Monday. The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Cold Bay and an HC-130 Super Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Station Kodiak to respond. The Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley was also diverted to the area.
By approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday, the helicopter was hovering over the disabled vessel, lifting all nine crew members aboard within 30 minutes and flying them to St. Paul for a medical evaluation, the Coast Guard said.
All crew members were well prepared, wearing survival suits, and had a liferaft inflated, a portable VHF radio, and an electronic position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB).
"This case demonstrated the vital importance of maintaining proper emergency equipment," said USCG Capt. Vincent Jansen, chief of incident management for the Arctic District. “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."
The vessel had experienced engine issues that caused it to lose power, and it drifted too close to the island and was partially grounded, taking on water but not sinking uncontrollably.
A nearby fishing vessel, the North Sea, was unable to assist the Arctic Sea due to offshore weather conditions that included 50-knot winds and 10-foot seas, but was able to provide on-scene updates to the Coast Guard. Closer to shore, winds were at 25 knots with five-foot seas.
There were approximately 7,000 pounds of Bering Sea tanner crab on board.
The Coast Guard said it was still working to determine the type and amount of fuel on board, but that there was no observable pollution as of late Jan. 5. Further details were expected by Tuesday, Jan. 6, regarding fuel onboard, any evidence of pollution, and efforts to salvage the Arctic Sea, the Coast Guard said.
