Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/57858
Testimony by two of the surviving crewmembers LQGLFDWHG WKDW WKH SHUVRQ OLIH UDIW LQÁDWHG ZKLOH WKH RWKHU WZR WHVWLÀHG WKDW WKH\ KDG QRW VHHQ WKH UDIW LQÁDWH $Q LQVSHFWLRQ RI WKH OLIH UDIW LQ TXHVWLRQ ODWHU RQ VXJJHVWHG WKDW LW KDG QRW SURSHUO\ LQÁDWHG Seven crewmembers mustered on the bow, entered the water, and boarded the 15-person life raft. The captain, who had boarded the craft with six crew- members, had activated the emergency position- LQGLFDWLQJ UDGLR EHDFRQ (3,5% DSSUR[LPDWHO\ minutes prior to abandoning the foundering vessel. The engineer was last seen moving toward the engine room without an immersion suit. No one was able to say whether he had eventually donned an immersion suit or had abandoned the vessel. Testimony indi- cated that the engineer may have put the engines in forward gear, causing the vessel to turn to port and to begin rolling over to its starboard side. The captain stated that the vessel was listing on the starboard side and going down by the stern prior to sinking. The crewmembers in the 15-person life raft were tossed about in the rough waters, and the seas and wind began to lift the life raft's canopy from the hull. The processor foreman removed the gloves of his immersion suit in an attempt to secure the canopy, but a wave washed over the life raft, causing it to RYHUWXUQ DQG WKURZ WKH FUHZPHPEHUV³DV ZHOO DV WKH (3,5%³LQWR WKH ZDWHU )RXU FUHZPHPEHUV ZHUH able to swim back to the torn raft and remain with it, despite being tossed into the water several times during the course of the night and the following day. Search and Rescue ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ 7KH DOHUW IURP WKH (3,5% ZDV UHFHLYHG E\ WKH &RDVW; *XDUG·V 1RUWK 3DFLÀF 6HDUFK DQG 5HVFXH $UHD &RRU-; GLQDWRU 136& DW WLPH LW ZDV UHFHLYHG E\ &RDVW; *XDUG 'LVWULFW = RQ 2FWREHU DW WKH VDPH ZKR then contacted the vessel operations manager to con- ÀUP WKH ODVW NQRZQ ORFDWLRQ RI WKH ÀVKLQJ YHVVHO DV well as the crew count. Coordinating the Rescue 7KH 136& SUHSDUHG WR ODXQFK DQ +& +HUFXOHV extended-range surveillance search and rescue trans- port aircraft, along with a Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk KHOLFRSWHU RXW RI &ROG; %D\ $ODVND WR DLG LQ WKH UHV- cue. However, the transport and helicopter's crew members had to wait a mandated period of rest time upon arrival to Adak, having reached their maximum permissible work hours. 72 Proceedings Spring 2012 7KH 136& DOVR UHTXHVWHG UHOLHI FUHZV EH ÁRZQ WR $GDN ,VODQG LQ D VHSDUDWH & + DLUFUDIW $GDN Island, an island located near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands, was the land location closest to the vessel. 7KH ÀUVW WR GHSDUW IURP $LU 6WDWLRQ .RGLDN ZDV WKH & + ZLWK WKH UHOLHI FUHZ $OVR DQRWKHU & + aircraft was launched from Kulis Air National Guard %DVH LQ $QFKRUDJH DQG D +& + ZDV ODXQFKHG from Kodiak. The HH-60J blew an O-ring while fuel- ing, resulting in a one-hour delay with no additional KHOLFRSWHU VXSSRUW DYDLODEOH 7KH 136& GLUHFWHG WKH &RDVW; *XDUG &XWWHU; Acushnet to depart Beaver Inlet and make its way toward the last known position of the fated vessel to assist in the efforts. :KLOH WKH &RDVW; *XDUG &XWWHU; Acushnet prepared to JHW XQGHUZD\ IURP %HDYHU ,QOHW WKH &RDVW; *XDUG continued to work to coordinate rescue efforts; the ÀVKLQJ YHVVHOV Blue Ballard and Courageous advised that they would aid the search. They were joined by the Patricia Lee. Recovery At the location of the casualty, crew members aboard the surveillance aircraft located two strobes in the water and dropped a life raft near them. The HH-60J ORFDWHG WKH GRZQHG YHVVHO·V (3,5% DQ HPSW\ VXUYLYDO VXLW ZLWK DQ DFWLYH VWUREH WZR &RDVW; *XDUG OLIH UDIWV DQG D SDUWLDOO\ LQÁDWHG OLIH UDIW WKDW ZDV UHSRUWHG WR EH LQ SRRU FRQGLWLRQ $SSUR[LPDWHO\ PLQXWHV ODWHU they recovered the body of a deceased crew member in an immersion suit. The Courageous's crew retrieved several bits of debris including a torn life raft, a life ring in a storage bag, VHYHUDO EXR\V ÀVKLQJ ER[HV D ÀVKLQJ WRWH DQG WZR empty survival suits. They later located a second body ZHDULQJ DQ LPPHUVLRQ VXLW &UHZ; DERDUG WKH Patricia Lee recovered more debris and three additional deceased crew members, whom they transferred to the Courageous. This vessel transported the deceased, WKH GHEULV DQG WKH UHFRYHUHG (3,5% WR $GDN ,VODQG Four survivors were located by the HH-60J personnel 16 hours after they had abandoned their struggling vessel, and were transported to the clinic in Adak, Alaska. Following the rescue of the survivors, rescue operations were suspended. Out of the eleven crewmembers aboard, four were XOWLPDWHO\ UHVFXHG ÀYH GHFHDVHG PDULQHUV ZHUH continued on page 74 www.uscg.mil/proceedings