The Coast Guard recently rescued a fisherman and his two dogs after his boat sank in the frigid waters off Hoonah, Alaska, about 30 miles west of Juneau.
The first sign of trouble was when the Coast Command Center in Juneau heard a Mayday call about 5 a.m. from the boat captain, who said his boat was going down near Freshwater Bay, just southeast of Hoonah. He was able to say that he and his two dogs were the only ones on board before his transmission cut out.
The Coast Guard sent air crews from Juneau and Sitka and the Cutter Douglas Denman to the area. Meanwhile, the captains of several other boats in the area also heard the Mayday call and helped the Coast Guard refine the search area.
About three hours after hearing the Mayday, the Coast Guard helicopter from Sitka found the man, Robert Johnson, on shore. He was wearing a survival suit and waving a flare. The helicopter rescued him and his dogs.
Meanwhile, the crew of the Douglas Denman found Johnson’s 33-foot fiberglass fishing boat submerged. The cutter launched a small boat crew to inspect the wreck, and they reported it was producing a small fuel sheen.
Johnson said the boat had less than 75 gallons of diesel on board. It sank in 30 feet of water. He plans to conduct salvage operations. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
The Coast Guard praised Johnson for being well prepared for an emergency, as well as thanking the crews of the other fishing vessels that helped locate and rescue him.
