ANCHORAGE, Alaska —Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Rescue Coordination Center launched a 25-foot response boat from Station Valdez after receiving a distress call concerning a vessel taking on water in Anderson Bay on the Southwest side of Port Valdez.
At 11:50 a.m., Sector Anchorage communications watchstanders received a VHF radio call from the charter vessel Lonestar, reporting a 20-foot jet boat with two persons on board was in need of immediate assistance. The jet boat relayed they had begun quickly taking on water after experiencing engine problems and did not have communications equipment on board to radio for help.
Within 15 minutes of the initial distress call, personnel from Station Valdez were on scene and had passed a P-6 dewatering pump and a hand pump to the jet boat. After repeated attempts to stop the incoming water, its main engine shut down and the boat began drifting towards nearby rocks.
A crewmember from Station Valdez was able to safely go aboard the boat to assist, and utilizing the boat’s kicker engine, safely directed it into deeper water.
Escorted by Station Valdez, the jet boat slowly motored back to the Valdez harbor, where it was safely removed from the water. No injuries have been reported.
