The salmon-fishing vessel Grayling was reported rolled-over on Monday in Kodiak Island’s Kupreanof Straits, the body of water that separates Kodiak Island from Afognak Island.

According to the report, three of the four crew managed to escape the roll-over, but, a fourth crewmember was trapped inside the cabin for a time.

The USCG reports that the F/V Calista Marie arrived on the scene and pulled one aboard while the Grayling’s skiffman picked up the skipper of the over-turned vessel. The Skipper, Christian Trozvig, realizing one of his crew was unaccounted for, jumped into the frigid water to search for his crewmember.

Trozvig said in a  Facebook post, the crewmember, “was trapped inside the boat in an air pocket. He managed to make it out a window but lost consciousness and was not breathing.”

A USCG Jayhawk helicopter, diverted from a training flight after they saw Trozvig jump into the water. 

Trozvig, with the aid of his skiffman, was able to pluck the unconscious man from the water, and Trozvig administered CPR to his unresponsive crewmember, saving his life.

The F/V Calista Marie, transmitted on VHF emergency channel that they had responded to the overturned vessel. The transmission was picked up by the watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage.

The Jayhawk crew hoisted the crewmember and transported him to waiting EMS at the Kodiak Municipal Airport, where he was further transported to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center.

“That fisherman didn’t hesitate. It was incredible to see him jump into 47-degree water to save his crew,” said Lt. Kevin Riley, an Air Station Kodiak Jayhawk pilot. “It is a testament to how tough those fishermen are and how far they will go to help their fellow Alaskans.”

The cause of the capsize is still under investigation.

 The skipper of the  F/V Grayling rescuing his unconcious crewmember on Monday. Video-Petty Officer Ist Class William Colclough | USCG 

Trozvig says salvage operations for the vessel are already underway.

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  At Sea, capsize, christian trozvig, Coast Guard, cpr, f/v grayling, jayhawk, Kodiak, kupreanof straits, raspberry island, rescue, skiffman