U.S. Coast Guard News – Page 2

1 Rescued After Deadly Fishing Vessel Collision in Alaska

A good Samaritan rescued one person and divers recovered one deceased person after two vessels collided near Wrangell, Alaska the morning of June 5. A 58-foot fishing vessel and a 20-foot skiff collided, throwing someone from the skiff into the water; the person was rescued by the good Samaritan. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska Command Center received the initial mayday call over VHF radio, reporting a person in the water, at about 8:52 a.m. The Coast Guard and on-scene partner agencies commenced a search for the second person. After hours of searching, a search-and-rescue diver found and eventually recovered a body inside the sunken vessel. “We offer our sincerest condolences to those affected by this terrible tragedy,” said Coast Guard Lt. Katy Coppola, search-and-rescue mission ...

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro Returns from Eastern Pacific IUU Fishing Patrol

U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro returned to its Alameda, Calif. homeport on June 3 following a four-month patrol off the coasts of Central and South America in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. During the multi-mission deployment, the Munro’s crew conducted counter-narcotic and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing patrols. The 150-member crew interdicted seven panga-style vessels, three low-profile vessels and one fishing vessel suspected of trafficking narcotics. The interdictions resulted in the seizure of nearly 35,000 pounds of cocaine, more than 3,000 pounds of marijuana and more than 140 pounds of the ketamine-based hallucinogenic party drug “tuci,” according to the Coast Guard. Combined, the seized narcotics are worth an estimated $500 million in wholesale value and $2 bil...

USCG, Other Agencies Respond to Tar-Like Substance Along Oregon, Wash. Coasts

The Coast Guard and other federal agencies, along with Washington and Oregon state agencies responded in May to a tar-like substance from an unknown source affecting a shoreline near Beards Hollow, Wash., and multiple birds in northern Oregon and southern Washington. The oil spill response organization NWFF Environmental was contracted to clean up tar balls along Benson Beach and a beach at Beards Hollow in Ilwaco, Wash. Responders collected samples of the tar balls and sent them to a lab for analysis. The first reports of tar balls and potentially contaminated wildlife began May 19, and as of 4 p.m. May 21, a total of 10 contaminated birds had been located at various locations extending from Lincoln City, Ore. north to Long Beach, Wash. The Coast Guard conducted a shoreline assessment ...

Coast Guard Honolulu Aids in Rescue of Missing Fishermen

The U.S. Coast Guard recently assisted in the rescue of an overdue 26-foot fiberglass skiff from Kiritimati Island, Kiribati. On May 12, Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu received a request from the Kiribati Search and Rescue coordinator asking for assistance locating an overdue vessel with three individuals aboard that had been fishing along the west coast of Kiritimati Island. The JRCC Honolulu search-and-rescue mission coordinator directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 air crew to aid in the search. The crew deployed three self-locating datum marker buoys to calculate the current’s set and drift to develop a search pattern of the area. The Fiji Maritime Surveillance & Rescue Coordination Center, located in Suva, Fiji, also...

Coast Guard Alaska Assists Commercial Fishing Vessels, Crew Members

On May 25, the U.S. Coast Guard assisted a disabled commercial fishing vessel and aided in the medevac of a crew member from another vessel. The first incident involved the rescue of five people near Sitka, Alaska. A 29-foot response boat crew with Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team Seattle, currently operating out of Sitka, responded. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska had received a relayed report from Sitka Dispatch that the 35-foot commercial trawler Kari Ann was disabled, unable to drop anchor and drifting toward rocks in the Western Channel. On May 26, the vessel was towed to Allen Marine, a southwest Alaska tour operator. The same day, the Coast Guard and Alaska Rescue Coordination Center teamed up to medevac a crew member from a fishing vessel 3...

Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane Returns Home After Operation Blue Pacific Patrol

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane returned to its Pearl Harbor homeport on April 9 after the inaugural Operation Blue Pacific patrol in Oceania. During the 70 plus-day deployment, the Harriet Lane and crew partnered with allies and several Pacific Island countries from January to April, including the countries of Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Marshall Islands. The focus, according to the Coast Gard, was on advising and sharing best practices, along with bolstering its’ partners’ capabilities to promote and model good maritime governance in the region. The Harriet Lane expanded U.S. Coast Guard presence in Oceania alongside Pacific Island countries exercising bilateral maritime law enforcement agreements with shiprider provisions to strengthen mari...

U.S., Samoa Renew Pacific Maritime Law Enforcement Agreement

The United States and the Independent State of Samoa on April 5 signed an addendum to the existing 2012 Bilateral Agreement for the continuation and expansion of operational cooperation to suppress illicit transnational maritime activity. “In partnership with Samoa, the United States stands committed to safeguarding and ensuring security of Samoa’s economic exclusive zone, by preserving its marine resources, environment, promoting sustainable development for future generations” U.S. Embassy Apia, Samoa Charge d’Affaires, Noriko Horiuchi, said. The addendum to the existing Bilateral Agreement signed by the Coast Guard and Samoa signed allows for enhanced maritime law enforcement operations, maritime domain awareness and assists with implementation of integrated operations between the U....

USCG Sector Puget Sound Launches Effort to Curb Vessel Traffic’s Impact on Whales

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound is engaging in a four-year pilot program that is expected to help minimize the vessel traffic impact on endangered whales in the Salish Sea, the agency announced Feb. 21. Hosted in the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), the program allows for the Coast Guard to get whale sighting reports from mariners and give close to real-time information on whale locations to mariners through a whale report alert system, according to the Guard. The Coast Guard said that it plans to work closely with international, federal, tribal and state entities as well as nongovernmental organizations. “The new cetacean desk aligns with our regional goals to help endangered whales and ships share the waters of the Salish Sea,” Rachel Aronson, a program director wit...

Executive Order Expands Coast Guard’s Authority to Address Maritime Cyber Threats On Feb. 21, President Biden signed an executive order amending regulations relating to the safeguarding of U.S. vessels, harbors, ports and waterfront facilities, updating the Code of Federal Regulations to explicitly address cyber threats. “This executive order ensures Coast Guard authorities are aligned with emerging cybersecurity threats, and reflects the commitment of the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard to safeguard maritime critical infrastructure,” Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy Rear Admiral Wayne Arguin said. Section 70051 of title 46, United States Code, commonly referred to as the Magnuson Act, authorizes the President to i...

Coast Guard, Good Samaritans Rescue 4 From Capsized F/V South of Kodiak

The Coast Guard and good Samaritans rescued four people after their vessel capsized about two nautical miles northeast of Chiniak Island, Alaska in January. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders said that they received a report over VHF channel 16 at about 4:31 p.m. Jan. 21 from the crew of Alaska Rose, a 46-foot fishing vessel, stating that they were taking on water. An urgent marine information broadcast was issued on VHF channel 16 and a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew deployed. The helicopter aircrew arrived on scene at about 4:56 p.m. and located one person on the overturned vessel, hoisting and transferring the individual to Air Station Kodiak, where local EMS waited, the Guard said in a Jan 22 news release. The crew of Good Samaritan vessel...