JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, forward-deployed to Cordova, and a good Samaritan research vessel crew assisted a vessel taking on water in Prince William Sound about 40 miles west of Cordova, May 5, 2013.

The sole crewmember of the Amelia Rose controlled the flooding, with the help of a Coast Guard dewatering pump, repaired the vessel and returned to Cordova.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received an initial distress call from the Amelia Rose operator at 2:53 p.m. The watchstanders immediately issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the Coast Guard helicopter crew to fly to the Amelia Rose’s location.

The helicopter crew arrived on-scene within 10 minutes and lowered a dewatering pump to the crew of the good Samaritan vessel New Wave, who transferred it to the operator of the Amelia Rose.

“Southern Alaska becomes a hotbed of fishing activity during the warmer months and maritime emergencies are much more common,” said Chief Petty Officer Fredery Araujo, a Sector Anchorage watchstander. “Having a helicopter and crew forward-deployed to Cordova gives us another asset to use in an environment where every minute in a response counts.”

This case marks the first emergency response operation for Coast Guard personnel deployed to the forward operating location in Cordova.