ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two ships brought 46 people to safety after they abandoned their sinking fishing boat and boarded life rafts off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
There were no reports of any injuries as the good Samaritan vessels rescued the crew members Tuesday evening, Coast Guard Petty Officer Lauren Steenson said.
The ships then began a 13-hour voyage to port in Adak, Alaska.
When the 220-foot Alaska Juris started taking on water Tuesday, all crew members donned survival suits and got into three rafts.
An emergency beacon alerted the Coast Guard to the sinking ship just after 11:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. PDT).
The Spar Canis and the Vienna Express rushed to the scene in response to the Coast Guard’s emergency broadcast for help, as did two other merchant vessels.
Video footage showed one of the bright orange life rafts floating some distance from the stricken boat, while another appeared tethered to it. The Coast Guard footage shot from an aircraft also showed a merchant ship in the distance, apparently headed toward the scene.
“The good Samaritans’ willingness to respond ... was paramount to getting the Alaska Juris crew to safety,” Coast Guard District 17 command duty officer Lt. Greg Isbell said.
