By Sentinel Staff
The U.S. Coast Guard and a Good Samaritan ship went to the rescue of the F/V Tamarack Saturday, 35 miles west of Sitka.
The Tamarack sent out a mayday call late Friday, reporting the boat was taking on water, a USCG press release said.
But before the Coast Guard arrived, the F/V Pacific Bounty “arrived on scene and assisted in dewatering the vessel,” the release said.
The Cutter Bailey Barco, homeported in Ketchikan, responded as well, as did a Sitka Air Station MH- 60 Jayhawk helicopter. The Jawhawk delivered a dewatering pump to the Tamarack to help the boat crew prevent further flooding.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Melissa McKenzie, a Coast Guard public affairs specialist in Anchorage, told the Sentinel “there were no injuries reported, so it was a good wrap up all around.”
She added that the Bailey Barco had been underway in the vicinity at the time of the emergency call, but the Pacific Bounty was first on the scene.
“They (Pacific Bounty) were the ones that actually got on scene before the Coast Guard cutter... It’s always fantastic whenever you’ve got fishing vessels or just vessels in the vicinity that are willing to help out. That’s unique to the marine community, they’re normally very helpful,” McKenzie said.
