Coast Guard rescues 5 near Aleutian Islands with help from good Samaritan vessel

The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday rescued five people in waters near Umnak Island, in the region of Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands, the service said in a news release.

Those who were rescued had called the Coast Guard Arctic District Command Center in Juneau when their fishing vessel began taking on water, the release said. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew and HC-130 Hercules airplane crew were dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak in response. The Cutter Waesche was also diverted and an urgent broadcast was made to notify mariners in the area.

About 15 minutes after the call was made, a good Samaritan vessel, Seafreeze Alaska, arrived at the scene and helped relay communication between the fishing vessel and the command center, according to the release.

The cutter and Hercules plane arrived roughly three hours after the call was made, relieving the good Samaritan boat and fixing the issue on the fishing vessel. After another three hours, the Jayhawk crew arrived and airlifted all five people on the vessel, transporting them to receive medical care, the release said.

None of the five were injured.

“This operation emphasizes the effectiveness of our coordinated search and rescue capabilities and our unwavering commitment to preserving life at sea,” said Chief Petty Officer Alex Washington, a command duty officer at the Juneau command center, per the release.