Search on for missing crewman

The trawler Rebecca Irene. Groundfish Forum photo

From the U.S. Coast Guard:

July 4, 2009

Coast Guard searching for man overboard from Seattle vessel south of Umnak Island

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard is searching for a man overboard from the commercial fishing vessel Rebecca Irene 24 miles southeast of Umnak Island.

The Coast Guard received the report of the missing crewmember at about 8:34 a.m. Saturday from the crew of the Rebecca Irene.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew from Air Station Kodiak was launched Saturday morning as well as a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter deployed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley on patrol in the Bering Sea. Due to poor visibility and vast offshore distances neither asset can search effectively. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter is being launched from Air Station Kodiak but is several hours away.

The crew of the Rebecca Irene is searching in addition to good Samaritans on several other fishing vessels in the area.

Reported weather in the area is 23 to 28 mph winds with seas eight to 10 feet and visibility of a quarter mile. The sea temperature is 43 degrees.

The Rebecca Irene is 140-foot trawler homeported in Seattle.