KODIAK, Alaska – The Coast Guard rescued an overdue boater Friday, from Lazy Bay on Kodiak Island.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew deployed a rescue swimmer, hoisted the boater and safely transported him to the local cannery.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center received a call from the master of the fishing vessel Stormie B at 12:36 a.m., who notified them of an overdue crewmember in an inflatable boat powered by two oars.
The crew of the Stormie B reportedly spent two hours searching for the missing crewmember with negative results.
Sector watchstanders directed the launch of an aircrew from Air Station Kodiak and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Naushon. The aircrew was able to locate the overdue crewmember, who was wearing a survival suit with a strobe light activated.
“We want to stress the importance of having proper survival gear on board in case of emergencies,” said Lt. Rachel Post, an Air Station Kodiak operations duty officer. “In this case, the boater had a personal flotation device, survival suit and a strobe light. Without that equipment on board, we wouldn’t have been able to locate him due to the low visibility.”
On scene weather was an air temperature of 52 degrees, 5-mph winds and less than 1-mile visibility.
-USCG-
