ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The U.S. Coast Guard successfully rescued three survivors from the water following an incident involving the fishing vessel Tsiu, which lost power due to an electrical fire 58 miles east of Kayak Island on Sunday.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka responded promptly, arriving on the scene at 9:07 p.m. They hoisted all three survivors from the water and transported them safely to Yakutat, where they were reported to be in stable condition.
The rescue operation began when watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska, along with the U.S. Arctic command center, received a distress call from Tsiu. After losing power, the vessel had deployed its anchor but continued drifting, posing a risk of running aground. The situation prompted watchstanders to request the launch of the helicopter crew and issue an urgent marine broadcast to notify nearby vessels.
Following the recovery of the survivors, the Tsiu drifted before eventually catching anchor east of Kayak Island. The owner of the vessel is now making arrangements for its salvage.
At the time of the rescue, weather conditions included 29-mph winds and 15-foot seas, with air and water temperatures at 47 degrees.
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Photo credit www.news.uscg.mil
