Good Samaritans Help Rescue 30 Adults, 6 Children From Disabled Boat In Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard responded Thursday to a vessel taking on water offshore Alaska with 36 people on board, including six children.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska received a mayday call from the 51-foot vessel Eagle One Express at around 8:50 a.m. Thursday reporting the boat was taking on water in the area of Nichols Passage, near Annette Island.

The vessel had 30 adults and six children on board. The crew managed to beach the vessel on Annette Island and all of the passengers were able to disembark with no reported injuries.

Two Coast Guard boat crews responded along with four good Samaritan vessels, and reached the beached vessel at around 9:05 a.m. Passengers were loaded onto two of the good Samaritan vessels for transport back to Ketchikan.

“We are constantly amazed by the strength of the Alaskan community and their willingness to help each other in times of distress,” said Coast Guard Lt. Mary Tran, command duty officer for the Sector Southeast Alaska command center. “We can’t thank the good Samaritan crews enough for responding at a moment’s notice to help us rescue everyone today.”

The vessel was refloated and towed to Ketchikan, and there were no reports of pollution at the scene, the Coast Guard said. The cause of the incident is under investigation.