ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka rescued a man and his two teenage sons after their boat reportedly sank off of Coghlan Island near Auke Bay Monday about 4 p.m.
Todd Shumway and his two teenage sons, all Juneau residents, were enroute to their nearby cabin when their boat sank and they had to swim to nearby Coghlan Island. They told the rescue crew that they had overloaded their boat with wood which caused it to take on water and sink.
The rescue helicopter which was in the area overseeing a good Samaritan rescue of four adults and five children who were trapped by high tide on a shoal at Eagle Beach, 12-miles north of Auke Bay, diverted to Coghlan Island after the Coast Guard received reports of red flares sighted in the area.
The helicopter crew arrived at Coghlan Island at 4:04 p.m. and found the Shumways stranded there. The crew landed the helicopter on the beach and rescued the family.
The helicopter crew transported the Shumways to Juneau International Airport where they were assessed by awaiting emergency medical services and released with no reported health concerns.
The good Samaritan was able to safely ferry all nine people from the shoal to Eagle Beach.
The Coast Guard reminds everyone that enjoys Alaska’s maritime environment to keep a watchful eye of the changing environment and to carry emergency equipment like the red flares to signal for help should there ever be an emergency.
