Crew from Anacortes boat rescued in southeast Alaska

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All 5 crew members of the Anacortes-based fishing vessel Patty J were rescued after their boat took on water in Southeast Alaska, according to a release from the U. S. Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau Rescue Coordination Center launched an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter and a response boat after receiving a mayday call from a crewmember aboard the 59-foot fishing vessel Patty J reporting it was taking on water with five crewmembers aboard and 400 to 500 gallons of diesel fuel 26 miles southwest of Juneau in Square Cove at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

All crewmembers safely disembarked the vessel in a small motor vessel and were rescued by a good Samaritan aboard a fishing vessel that was nearby.  The fishing vessel which rescued all crewmembers responded to an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast which was immediately issued by Sector Juneau. 

A Coast Guard MH-60 rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka conducted an overflight of the vessel and reported there was a 300 by 20 foot sheen at 5:30 a.m.

Local personnel from the Oil Spill Response Organization in Juneau will be arriving at the location of the vessel to plug any open vents and assess the situation for any further action as weather permits today. 

The vessel is now grounded in Square Cove.  No injuries have been reported and the cause of the grounding is not known at this time.  The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the grounding.

The Patty J is homeported in Anacortes, Wash. and was enroute from Auke Bay to Excursion Inlet.