This just in from the U.S. Coast Guard:
Oct. 28, 2011
Coast Guard escorting fire-damaged fishing vessel
KODIAK — The Coast Guard cutter Sherman is escorting the fishing vessel Alaskan Leader toward Dutch Harbor after the vessel sustained fire damage.
The Coast Guard in Kodiak received notification Thursday night of a fire in the engine room aboard the 150-foot Alaskan Leader.
The vessel was 103 miles northwest of Unimak Pass in the Bering Sea.
The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast over HF and VHF radio channels requesting the support of any vessels in the area.
The fishing vessels Frontier Explorer, Frontier Spirit and Eastern Wind responded to the broadcast and arrived on scene to render assistance. The Coast Guard also diverted the cutter Sherman from its patrol to assist.
The Alaskan Leader crew was able to extinguish the fire themselves by 9:30 p.m. No injuries have been reported among the 23 crew.
The engine room reportedly suffered extensive damage from the starboard engine fire.
The master of the vessel reported they were able to resume their voyage using their port main diesel engine and auxiliary generator, manual steering and manual throttle control.
The Sherman arrived on scene at 3:30 a.m., allowing the three good Samaritan fishing vessels to return to their previous activities.
The vessel is currently under way at 6 mph about 63 miles from Dutch Harbor.
A commercial tug, contracted by the owner, is on scene with the vessel. It will tow the Alaskan Leader to Dutch Harbor. Once in tow the Sherman crew will return to its patrol.
The tug and fishing vessel are expected to reach Dutch Harbor this afternoon.
"The Coast Guard takes fishing vessel safety very seriously and the vessel will be met by marine casualty investigators and inspectors from Marine Safety Detachment Unalaska to assess the damage," said Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Clare, the Coast Guard Sector Anchorage chief of inspections.
The Alaskan Leader is a Kodiak-based catcher-processor and is carrying 5,000 to 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 9,000 pounds of frozen cod.
The Sherman is a 378-foot high endurance cutter from San Diego.
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9 comments:
Perhaps the owner of Alaska Leader should sell out to a CDQ group after making a claim on insurance. The CDQs have been buying into the catcher-processor fleet to bring economic development to themselves in the way of high salaries for themselves and their cronies.
BBEDC already owns half of nick delaneys' empire.
Hey Deckboss - its about high time you gave us a critical update of the Freezer-Longliner Cooperative. I thought this private catch shares program was supposed to make everything better for boats like the Alaskan Leader. How's that working out?
What a bunch of BS. The Alaskan is an ABS classed vessel, with a professional crew and one of the better boats in the fleet. Nobody's immune from troubles at sea. Not even the Navy. Get a life you losers.
Didn't know Ak Leader was ABS-classed. Cool. So does ABS require higher manning standards than the USCG for the engine room of uninspected commercial fishing vessels? ABS-classed does not mean the same thing as "USCG Inspected".
All I'm saying is that whoever this stoopid troll is making childish bathroom jokes about "wipers" needs to get a life. Whether the Ak Leader has a wiper or not is immaterial when the applicable regulations do not require it. The Ak Leader is a well-run, well-financed operation that does not take shortcuts in its engine room (unlike some of the rust buckets in that fleet). If the troll wants to pick a fight with BBEDC, the Ak Leader's engine room is not the place for it.
Not enough engine room rounds made by somebody or maybe they just don't care
"they just don't care" about the people who put their trust in them to do the right thing for everybody regardless of race! The resources belong to all of the people of the USA! We're watching a handful of people destroying a hundreds year old culture and tradition out here in Western Alaska through the CDQ program. Yup, "they just don't care"!!!!!!!
Landlubbers passing judgement on the safety of a vessel. Alaska Leader is a well run boat, safe operation, and a good captian. They care, and there was an accident. No one died, it was handled by pros. Quit second guessing and go back to your internet chat rooms and office.
Great work to the crew for containing what could have been
tragic loss of life! I work in the same waters as them.
Nice job guys!All you neigh sayers take note.STFU.
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