Two people sought medical care after a 20-foot recreational boat and a larger cargo vessel collided near Seldovia this week, sinking the smaller boat, according to a spokeswoman with the U.S. Coast Guard for the District of Alaska.
The Coast Guard is investigating what caused the Helenka B, a landing craft, to collide with the recreational Hewescraft boat Thursday in deep water about 3 miles northeast of Seldovia, said spokeswoman Lexie O’Brien. The roughly 180-foot-long Helenka B is owned by Alaskan Coastal Freight, which is based out of Homer.
Two people onboard the smaller vessel ended up in the water as it sank, O’Brien said. A good Samaritan helped them from the water and brought them by boat to awaiting medical care in Homer, O’Brien said. Both were taken to the South Peninsula Hospital in stable condition, she said.
The Coast Guard was notified of the collision around 12:40 p.m. Thursday, according to O’Brien.
As of Friday, officials are still determining how the sunken recreational boat will be salvaged, she said. There were no immediate signs of pollution or environmental impacts from the sunken boat, O’Brien said.
The Seldovia harbormaster declined to comment on the collision when reached by phone Friday.