By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew rescued four fishermen from a life raft after their 53-foot boat sank Wednesday night about 55 miles south of Sitka.
The four were in stable condition after arriving in Sitka, where they were met by an EMS crew at the air station around 1 a.m. today, the Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Juneau said the crew of the 53-foot longliner F/V Julia Breeze radioed for help at 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, reporting the boat was taking on water and they were abandoning ship near Cape Ommaney. The Coast Guard also received an EPIRB signal soon afterward, giving the exact location of the vessel, Petty Officer Lexie Preston said.
The helicopter was launched at 10:45 p.m., and arrived on scene around 11:40 p.m. The crew spotted a debris field in the water and located the four fishermen in the raft and wearing survival suits. The wind was blowing at 20 knots, accompanied by 12-foot seas, the Coast Guard said.
A rescue swimmer was lowered from the helicopter to assist as each fishermen entered the water to be hoisted into the aircraft, Preston said.
The Coast Guard praised the boat crew for being prepared for just such an emergency.
“I commend the survivors in this case for having the boating safety equipment they used,” said Nicholas Meyer, Sector Juneau command duty officer. “Their EPIRB confirmed their distress location allowing our air crew’s timely response, and the survival suits and raft greatly contributed to their safety.”
The Julia Breeze is homeported in Homer, according to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, and the owner is listed as Julia Breeze LLC.
The cause of the sinking is under investigation by the Marine Safety Detachment, the Coast Guard said.
