JUNEAU, Alaska — Crews from the Coast Guard Cutter Mustang and a Station Valdez 45-foot Response Boat-Medium assisted the crew of a fishing vessel that ran aground Thursday morning on the south side of Evans Island in Prince William Sound.
The Mustang and RB-M crews towed the fishing vessel Eleon safely to port in Chenega Bay.
Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received an initial broken radio report from the Eleon’s crew reporting that they were experiencing a steering casualty, but weren't able to get the vessel’s coordinates. The watchstanders immediately directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and the crew of the Mustang to search for the distressed fishing vessel.
Upon locating the Eleon, the helicopter crew verified their safety and returned to Kodiak. The Mustang crew arrived on scene later in the morning and towed the Eleon a safe distance from shore.
In the afternoon the RB-M crew arrived on scene to tow the Eleon back into port.
“The rescue of the disabled fishing vessel can be directly attributed to the teamwork of our responding assets,” said Steve Garcia, a search and rescue controller at the Sector Anchorage command center. “The crews of our cutters and stations train together often to complete complex tasks in the harsh Alaska environment, with coordination and information coming from our sector command centers.”
No pollution was reported by the responding Coast Guard assets. Weather on scene was reported as 30 mph winds and 2-foot seas.