PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard assists NPS in locating 4 kayakers in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/16/2018 05:28 PM EDT

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News Release

  

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 428-4181
After Hours: (907) 321-4513
17th District online newsroom

Coast Guard assists NPS in locating 4 kayakers in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

The Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro sails past Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, July 15, 2018. The Douglas Munro crew assisted the Glacier Bay National Park Service personnel in rescuing four people whose kayaks overturned in rough waters, but all four people made it to shore. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Trenton Hirschi.  Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro crew members assist a survivor off a Coast Guard small boat in Glacier Bay National Park, July 15, 2018. Rough waters overturned four kayaks in Glacier Bay National Park, but the individuals made it to shore and activated their personal locator beacon, which assisted the Coast Guard in locating them. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ens. Jacob Marx.

Editors' note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro small-boat crew rescued four kayakers in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, Sunday.

 

The kayakers activated a personal locator beacon after one of the kayaks overturned. The Douglas Munro small-boat crew transferred the kayakers to the cutter to be medically assessed. The cutter crew transported the kayakers to Juneau, Monday, after no medical concerns were found.

 

Seventeenth Coast Guard District watchstanders received notification of a personal locator beacon activation from a registered kayaker in Glacier Bay National Park. Watchstanders notified National Park Service personnel, who assumed responsibility for the search. Due to lack of available assets, NPS requested an agency assist from Seventeenth Coast Guard District. Coast Guard watchstanders diverted the crew of the Douglas Munro and requested the launch of an Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew to conduct the search.

 

The Douglas Munro crew located the kayakers waving their arms from the shore. The kayakers and one kayak were taken aboard the Douglas Munro with verification of PLB activation from their overturned kayaks.

 

"At the time of the PLB alert, we were actively patrolling in the area," said Capt. Kevin Riddle, Douglas Munro commanding officer. "We are thankful that these kayakers were well equipped with an emergency transponder because it allowed us to quickly locate and rescue them.”

 

Weather on scene was reported as 5-7 mph winds and 2-3 ft seas.

 

The Douglas Munro is homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. The crew is currently deployed on a three month patrol that will encompass the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean as part of Operation Arctic Shield 2018, and the Gulf of Alaska.

-USCG-