JUNEAU, Alaska — Coast Guard Station Juneau and Air Station Sitka crews assisted three boaters in Favorite Channel near Juneau, Alaska, Sunday.
An Air Station Sitka MH-60 Dolphin helicopter crew located the vessel and a Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat-Small crew towed the disabled vessel and boaters to Amalga Harbor.
Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received a report from a boater on the vessel Amelia II that their boat was disabled while transiting from Amalga Harbor to St. James. The boaters were unable to anchor due to water depth. Watchstanders diverted the Jayhawk helicopter crew and directed the launch of the Station Juneau boatcrew to the area.
“Both adults and the child were all wearing their life jackets,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Geno Kludt, a Sector Juneau command center watchstander. “We cannot overstate the importance of having proper safety equipment, especially life jackets, while boating in Alaska.”
In Alaska, boaters are required to have one Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person aboard their vessel and they must be in serviceable condition. Persons 13 years of age and younger are required by law to wear a life jacket at all times when in an open boat, on the deck of a boat or when waterskiing.
The weather on scene was reported as light winds and calm seas.