Northern Belle survivor: 'I prayed to God'

A crewman in a life raft dropped from a Coast Guard plane awaits a helicopter rescue. USCG Petty Officer Sara Francis photo

Here's a Seattle Times story about yesterday's sinking of the fishing vessel Northern Belle.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three crewmen, but the captain and a "boat dog" perished, the article says.

The sinking occurred in the Gulf of Alaska, about 50 miles south of Montague Island.

Coast Guard fishes four out of Gulf after sinking

From the U.S. Coast Guard:

April 20, 2010

Coast Guard recovers four from Seattle fishing vessel

ANCHORAGE — Coast Guard rescue crews from Air Station Kodiak recovered four fishermen at 8:39 p.m. today 50 miles south of Montague Island after the 75-foot Seattle-based fishing vessel Northern Belle sank.

Three of the four fishermen were reported to be suffering from hypothermia and a forth was unresponsive but receiving CPR.

It was reported the four fishermen were wearing survival gear when hoisted into the helicopter.

The helicopter crew transferred the fishermen to awaiting emergency medical personnel in Cordova at 9:20 p.m. for further medical treatment.

Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak received the distress call on HF-FM radio around 5:30 p.m. from a crewmember reporting four people were onboard and they were sinking and abandoning ship.

The call was forwarded to the 17th District Command Center in Juneau.

The command center directed Air Station Kodiak to launch an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft at 5:40 p.m.

The cutter Long Island, which was 40 miles northwest of the Northern Belle, also was diverted to the area and was to arrive on scene shortly after 8:30 p.m.