JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew rescued three mariners after a fire started on board their 82-foot vessel north of Kodiak Island Tuesday.
The Jayhawk crew hoisted the mariners from their life raft in Stevenson Entrance, approximately 60 miles north of Kodiak, and transported them safely to Kodiak.
“We couldn’t fight the fire, it was too smoky; it was scary,” said Scott Beckstrom, captain of the Northern Pride. “So we made a distress call, put on our survival suits, manually launched the life raft and got in safely, turned on the EPIRB and waited for our heroes who came within a half hour.”
Coast Guard Sector Anchorage received a Mayday relay from the good Samaritan fishing vessel Dancer requesting Coast Guard assistance for the crew of the Northern Pride. The Dancer crew reported smoke from the Northern Pride and that all three people on board where in immersion suits and abandoning their vessel.
“The crew of the Northern Pride was prepared and took the necessary steps to ensure their safety when their vessel caught on fire,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Lindsey Green, operations specialist, Sector Anchorage command center. “Emergencies can occur at any time and having the right safety equipment is critical when operating in Alaska’s extreme environments.”
All three mariners were reported in good condition. The Northern Pride was reported as smoking with no signs of pollution.
Weather on scene was 20 mph winds and seas of 3-4 feet.