KODIAK, Alaska – Coast Guard Station Valdez personnel have located three men in dense fog overdue on a voyage from Valdez to the native village of Tatitlek in Prince William Sound Thursday.
Rescued in good condition are Ken Keseloff, Jim Gergorieff and Jake West. The Station Valdez 25-foot Response Boat-Small crew located the men visually about 10:48 a.m. in Galena Bay about halfway between Valdez and Tatitlek. They were paddling their 18-foot camouflage colored aluminum skiff as the motor had ceased operating. The rescue crew has the skiff in tow and are expected to arrive in Tatitlek around 1:15 p.m.
They had a cellular phone, but rescue parties were not able to reach them on it. They had no other form of communication.
“Take multiple forms of communication, especially VHF-FM radios, with you when transiting in Alaska so we can contact and find you as quickly as possible,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Komrosky, a watchstander working on the case at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. “We are headed into Fall now and it’s getting colder at night so we recommend taking extra supplies, warm clothes and immersion suits even on short trips.”
The men departed Valdez at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Keseloff’s niece reported the men overdue when they had not arrived in the village by 10:40 p.m. Wednesday. Valdez to Tatitlek is about a 28 mile trip.
