Coast Guard Suspends Search for Petersburg Man

JUNEAU, Alaska - The Coast Guard has suspended the search for Thomas Lewis, 52-year-old Petersburg man, who was reported missing on September 12, 2008 after failing to return on September 11, 2008 from a three-day fishing trip in Frederick Sound.

A Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Sitka located the overdue vessel, Hurricane, aground on Cape Fanshaw with no one on board. Hurricane’s engines were running and the catch on board was not cleaned and spoiled. Information retrieved from the vessel’s navigation system and laptop indicated that no entries had been made after 5:45pm on September 9, 2008.

Ground teams from the South East Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS) searched the area of the grounded fishing vessel. Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and Army National Guard aircrews conducted extensive searches of the area, including the shorelines of all smaller neighboring islands. Coast Guard Cutter Liberty , Coast Guard Auxiliary, and seven Good Samaritan fishing vessels searched the waters off of Cape Fanshaw. A total of 1,472 nautical miles were searched.

The Coast Guard is still asking mariners and aircraft transiting this area to remain vigilant and report any sightings to the Coast Guard at (907) 463-2991.

Petersburg Man Missing, Coast Guard Finds Vessel Aground

JUNEAU, Alaska - Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a report at 11:30 a.m. today that a 52 year-old commercial fisherman from Petersburg, Alaska was overdue after he did not return from a halibut fishing trip Thursday.

At 11:50 a.m. a Coast Guard rescue crew from Air Station Sitka out on a routine patrol located the missing man’s fishing vessel, Hurricane, aground with the engines still running near Cape Fanshaw approximately 30 miles northwest of Petersburg. The crew from the MH-60 Jayhawk lowered a rescue swimmer to investigate the vessel. The rescue swimmer searched the vessel and found nobody on board.

The Coast Guard has two helicopters on scene searching the area for the missing mariner. The Coast Guard Cutter Liberty was also launched from Auke Bay to assist in the search. Also participating are a Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel from Petersburg, two Good Samaritan fishing vessels, the Alaska State Troopers, the South East Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS), and a Juneau-based Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter.

Coast Guard Stresses Hurricane Awareness

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard is urging all mariners to practice safe boating and be prepared for the 2008 hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

Hurricane preparedness is a shared responsibility. Government agencies have a responsibility to alert citizens and respond to those in distress. Those in the path of an approaching storm have an individual responsibility to stay alert, heed warnings and insure the safety of themselves and their families.

“The Coast Guard and FEMA have never been more united in preparation for hurricane season than we are this year. We will work with the state and local municipalities to provide immediate response after any storm occurs. We have trained together, and we stand ready respond to any event that might occur,” said Adm. Thad W. Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Here are some tips for mariners to prepare for hurricane season:

• If you live or boat in an area prone to hurricanes or heavy weather, know your local and national weather sources and monitor them continuously. Get into the habit of reading weather signs and monitoring the weather;
• Contact local marinas and ask for advice. You will find marina operators knowledgeable and helpful. They can advise you on the best methods for securing your boat;
• Remove small boats from the water and move them to a secure location. Ensure the trailer and boat are secured above likely flood areas. Remove all loose items. Ensure the boat is tied securely to the trailer;
• If your boat is too large to be removed from the water, move it to a safe haven well before the storm approaches. You should know where safe havens are in the area where you boat.

Mariners in distress should contact the Coast Guard via VHF channel 16.

For more information, please visit these Web sites:

U.S. Coast Guard Storm Center: www.uscg.mil/news/stormcenter/

U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division: www.uscgboating.org/

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/