Coast Guard towed disabled vessel with 2 people aboard to safety in Valdez, Alaska

 

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska Contact: 17th District Public Affairs Office: (907) 463-2065 After Hours: (907) 209-8731 17th District online newsroom

Coast Guard towed disabled vessel with 2 people aboard to safety in Valdez, Alaska

JUNEAU, Alaska – Coast Guard Station Valdez crewmembers towed a disabled vessel with two people aboard to Valdez, Thursday.

A Station Valdez 45-foot Response Boat-Meduim crew arrived on scene at approximately 5:50 p.m. Wednesday evening, and towed the disabled 24-foot pleasure craft Bluff Watch approximately six nautical miles northeast of Montague Point, Alaska, arriving in Valdez at approximately 4:39 a.m. Thursday morning. 

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Anchorage received the report of the disabled vessel at approximately 3:46 p.m. Wednesday evening from a crewmember’s cell phone. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast on VHF channel 16 and diverted the Station Valdez boat crew to the scene. 

“The quick actions of the diverted boat crew from Station Valdez, and their exceptional skill during the tow, helped these mariners get to safety before the weather got worse,” said Mr, Michael McNeil, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command duty officer. “All mariners should have multiple reliable communication devices on board to assist with the timeliness of Coast Guard response.”

On-scene weather was 20-knot winds and 3-foot seas.

 

-USCG-