The United States Coast Guard was notified at about 10:46 PM Thursday night that a vessel, the 84-foot Mary Kay, was taking on water near Cape Chacon near South Prince of Wales Island.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau immediately issued an urgent Marine information broadcast. Several good Samaritan vessels responded, among them was the Irish Rose, the North Wind, the Alaska state trooper vessel Enforcer, the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Bartlett, an 18-foot Alaska Wildlife trooper skiff as well as a Canadian aircraft.

Coast Guard ordered a launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station in Sitka, but before the helicopter could initiate its launch, good Samaritan vessels arrived at the scene near Dixon entrance.

The 18-foot Alaska Wildlife trooper Skiff and the fishing vessel Irish Rose with first to arrive at the scene. They quickly located the four crewmen of the Mary Kay, who were wearing immersion suits and in a life raft. The Alaska Wildlife trooper skiff picked up the four crewmembers from the liferaft and transfered them to the fishing vessel North Wind.

The North Wind transported the crewmembers, who reported no medical issues or injuries, to Ketchikan. They arrived at that community early Friday morning.

The Mary Kay, which was carrying 2500 gallons of diesel, sunk in about 100 fathoms of water.

The Coast Guard announced today that it is investigating the sinking of the Mary Kay, and is coordinating an overflight.

“We are investigating the cause of the sinking and any potential pollution but it is unlikely the vessel will be recovered due to the depth of water it sank in,” said Lt. Ryan Erickson, a search and rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Juneau. “We were very fortunate to have so many good Samaritans respond to this sinking which limited the amount of time the crew was exposed to the elements.”