Five people were rescued early this morning after their fishing vessel hit a rock and began taking on water near Kodiak.
The five male crew members of the 58-foot vessel ‘Kodiak Isle’ donned their survival suits just after midnight and evacuated into a life raft. The vessel reportedly hit a rock near Cape Sitkinak, which is near the extreme southwestern end of the Kodiak Island archipelago. The vessel’s on-board de-watering pumps were not keeping up with the flooding.
Petty Officer Loren Brady of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage says they dispatched an H-60 helicopter and C-130 aircraft out of Air Station Kodiak. The vessel’s five crewmembers were hoisted aboard the helicopter and taken back to the air station at about 2:30 this morning. No injuries were reported after the crew was checked out by emergency medical services personnel.
It’s unknown if the ‘Kodiak Isle’ is still afloat or has sunk. Brady says they’ll dispatch another H-60 at first light to check on the vessel and any potential pollution.
Matt Miller is a reporter at KTOO in Juneau.
