The Coast Guard rescued three men and one dog Monday after their boat ran aground on Esther Island.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Kodiak located and hoisted the three men and dog, who were stranded on rocks in high-wind conditions. All three survivors and dog were safely transported to awaiting EMS in Anchorage for medical evaluation.
Watchstanders in the Sector Anchorage command center received the initial distress call over VHF-FM Channel 16 at about 11:55 a.m. from the survivors aboard the 45-foot fishing vessel Privateer, stating they had donned survival suits and were preparing to abandon their boat. They indicated their vessel was getting slammed against rocks.
The Coast Guard launched the helicopter aircrew, along with a Coast Guard C-130 aircrew and issued an urgent marine information broadcast to alert mariners in the area.
Two good Samaritan vessels responded to the broadcast and a Whittier Sea Tow vessel made attempts to establish a tow with the Privateer when Coast Guard assets arrived on scene.
“Thankfully the mariners were able to radio the Coast Guard and had the appropriate survival gear in case they needed to abandon their vessel,” said Petty Officer Dante Corradi, Sector Anchorage communications unit watchstander. “It’s incredible these three men and the dog made it out okay, and the fact that multiple good Samaritans were ready to assist made a huge difference in the outcome of this rescue.”
Conditions around the time of the rescue included winds at 35-50 mph with gusts up to 60, 6-foot seas, low visibility, an air temperature of 33 degrees and a water temperature of 44 degrees.