Coast Guard searching for two men overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard issued the following just after 10 o'clock tonight:

JUNEAU — A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft and crew are searching for two crewmembers reported to have fallen overboard from the Hanjin Pretoria, a 925-foot Liberian-flagged container ship, 850 miles south of Kodiak.

The 17th Coast Guard District command center received a call from the master of the Hanjin Pretoria at 3:45 p.m. reporting that two crewmen, a 29-year-old and a 42-year-old, fell overboard from the vessel while working together on deck. The ship was transiting from Long Beach, Calif., to Asia.

The Coast Guard launched a Hercules aircraft and crew from Air Station Kodiak at 5:51 p.m. The plane arrived on scene at 8:20 p.m.

The rescue crew will search for approximately three hours before returning to Kodiak to refuel. If the men aren't found during the first search the Coast Guard will conduct a first-light search Friday.

On-scene weather conditions are 40 mph winds, 20-foot seas and a water temperature of 46 degrees.