A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter rescued two stranded mariners from a beach near Seward late Thursday night, according to a release.
The men, who have not been identified, called 911 from a satellite phone while reportedly holding onto a rock in Resurrection Bay with one life jacket and no signaling devices. The water was rising around them, the Coast Guard said. Their 22-foot craft had capsized.
After the call, the two men made it to a nearby beach, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.
"I don't know if they swam or if there was a sandbar," he said. "All I know is they were on a rock and they managed to get to a beach before they were underwater."
The Seward Fire Department and two Samaritan vessels arrived on scene, but could not reach the men, the release said.
The Coast Guard received the first phone call from a 911 operator at 8:34 p.m. The men were hoisted by a Coast Guard helicopter crew at 10:26 p.m., Eggert said. They were taken to the Seward Airport, met by local emergency medical personnel and released with no reported injuries.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mustang searched for the capsized vessel but was not able to locate it. It had an estimated 15 gallons of gasoline aboard, according to the Coast Guard. There have been no reports of pollution.
Reach Tegan Hanlon at thanlon@adn.com or 257-4589.
By TEGAN HANLON