Coast Guard rescues two 50 miles south of Valdez following grounding

JUNEAU, Alaska – A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew forward deployed to Cordova rescued two people who abandoned ship after their 65-foot passenger vessel ran aground at Hinchinbrook Entrance in Prince William Sound 50 miles south of Valdez at 3:52 a.m. Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center personnel received a VHF-FM radio call from a crewmember aboard the passenger vessel Lu Lu Belle reporting the ship had grounded with two crewmen aboard.

The Jayhawk crew departed Cordova at 4:21 a.m. and was able to safely land on the beach and rescue the two passengers at 5:40 a.m. The passengers were transported by the helicopter crew to Era Aviation at the Valdez airport by 6:15 a.m.

No pollution or injuries were reported from the incident.