The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued four mariners after their boat capsized in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, Friday.
At 12:04 p.m., watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Juneau (Alaska) command center received a distress alert in the vicinity of Muir Inlet from a digital selective calling device registered to Cats N Dawgs, a 66' privately owned pleasure craft.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka diverted from training nearby and arrived on scene at approximately 12:59 p.m. to find the vessel taking on water with a severe list. Good Samaritan vessel Alaskan Hunter was also on scene attempting to assist the sinking vessel.
Shortly after the Jayhawk crew arrived on scene, Cats N Dawgs sank in 150' of water 300' from shore.
Alaskan Hunter recovered all four survivors — two adults and two teenagers — from the vessel and transported them to shore where the Jayhawk crew conducted a passenger exchange. The survivors were then transferred to awaiting EMS at 2:08 p.m. in Juneau. No injuries were reported and the survivors are reportedly in stable condition.
“Mariners all over the world, but especially in Alaska, will often drop everything to help out a fellow mariner in need. We saw this today from the Alaskan Hunter,” said Lt. Cmdr. Preston Strobel, command duty office, Sector Juneau command center. “This could have been a devastating start to the holiday weekend.”
The cause of the incident is under investigation. The Coast Guard and National Parks Service are working with the vessel owner to establish a salvage plan.
On scene weather was air temperature of 57 degrees, one-foot seas, and three-mph winds.
