Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center watchstanders and a Good Samaritan assisted a fishing vessel reportedly taking on water in Snow Pass, west of Zarembo Island on Wednesday, Dec. 12.
The Good Samaritan crew, aboard the 65-foot M/V Arik, was able to tow the 36-foot wooden hull trawler F/V Carrie Arlene to a cove on the north side of Bushy Island where they anchored and successfully dewatered the fishing vessel.
The Carrie Arlene is harbored in Wrangell and at least one of the crewmembers lives in the borough. The Coast Guard would not identify the crewmembers, but according to the Washington-based owner of the Arik, Wrangell resident Sean Kaer was piloting the fishing vessel. Coast Guard records show the disabled vessel as registered to an owner in Kake.
The command center watchstanders received a distress call on VHF marine radio channel 16 from the two-man crew of the Carrie Arlene, stating that they were taking on water and donning survival suits in case they needed to abandon ship. The watchstanders issued extremely urgent marine information broadcasts requesting any vessel in the area to respond if safe to do so.
The crew of the Arik responded to the call for help and was able to follow distress flares deployed by the crew of the Carrie Arlene.
"Good Samaritans are instrumental in helping the Coast Guard come to the aid of boaters in distress," said Petty Officer 1st Class Chris Harkins, a watchstander at Sector Juneau. "The willingness of Good Samaritans to step up and help a fellow mariner can often keep a case like this from developing into something worse."
Harkins also said the speed with which the request for assistance was sent out was a very important factor in keeping the boat from sinking.
"The preparedness of the fishing vessel crew and their quick actions in notifying the Coast Guard of their deteriorating situation was critical to their rescue," Harkins added. "The crew's use of survival equipment including survival suits, flares and their marine VHF radio, not only kept them safe, but was essential in helping responders find them."
Weather at the time of the incident was reported as rain with 35 mph winds and 4- to 6-foot seas.
According to a member of Kaer’s family, the vessel is safe, afloat, and was underway to Port Protection on Thursday, Dec. 13.
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