Alaska News

Coast Guard rescues 2 boaters near Kodiak with help of good Samaritan

The Coast Guard rescued two people whose fishing vessel capsized in waters near Kodiak Island, but the search is on for two boaters who are still missing.

Anchorage-based Coast Guard officials received a mayday transmission from a good Samaritan boat around 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

The rescue boat requested help in coordinating a search for the missing boaters, the Coast Guard said.

"The good Samaritan crew recovered two people (previously) aboard the Miss Destinee. One of the two was the master of the Miss Destinee, who confirmed there were two other people missing after a large wave capsized the vessel," the Coast Guard said.

The two boaters were hoisted off the rescue boat.

Two helicopters and a boat crew from Kodiak's Coast Guard station responded to the call, and all are searching a 7 1/2-mile area in Marmot Bay, Lt. j.g. Travis Dopp said in a statement.

Marmot Bay is located between Afognak and Kodiak islands. The bay's waters are home to an abundance of sea life, including humpback and North Pacific fin whales.

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Petty Officer 1st Class Bill Colclough said the Coast Guard's assets launched almost immediately after getting the call for help, and arrived on scene shortly thereafter.

Weather there was reported as 20-mph winds, 10-foot seas with rain diminishing visibility to about 2 miles. The conditions are not ideal, but the crews are managing, Colclough said.

Colclough could not confirm whether Miss Destinee had sunk or remains afloat.

Kyle Mead is the skipper of the vessel, described as a 35-foot boat equipped with a purse seine, according to Colclough. The boat had a haul of fish aboard when it overturned in the water, Colclough said.

Jerzy Shedlock

Jerzy Shedlock is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

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