'Mayday, vessel Masonic going down'

The U.S. Coast Guard says it rescued five people from a life raft early today after they abandoned their fishing vessel southeast of Sitka.

The Coast Guard identified the vessel involved as the Masonic, homeported in Sitka.

We haven't confirmed it, but this vessel presumably is the famed wooden halibut schooner Masonic, built in 1930.

The five survivors were taken to Sitka uninjured, the Coast Guard said.

At 2:33 a.m., Coast Guard watchstanders monitoring Channel 16 heard a distress call: "Mayday, vessel Masonic going down."

The life raft was found on the north side of Coronation Island, with all five people aboard wearing survival suits.

"The life raft was tied off to the stern of the grounded fishing vessel," the Coast Guard said.

Nice save

A good Samaritan vessel, the Glacier, this morning pulled three people from the water after the 32-foot F/V Cyclone was reported sinking about 20 miles southeast of Kodiak, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.

The three rescued Cyclone crewmen were reported in good condition following the 7:30 a.m. rescue.

Here is audio of the Cyclone's mayday call and the Coast Guard coordination of the rescue.

Distress call near Kodiak ends happily

This just in from the U.S. Coast Guard:

April 21, 2011

Coast Guard responds to mayday call miles north of Kodiak

KODIAK — Coast Guard Sector Anchorage launched an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter after receiving a mayday call from a crewmember aboard the 71-foot stern trawler Coho reporting they were taking on water with three people aboard 20 miles northwest of Kodiak at 12:08 a.m.

The helicopter crew and the nearby good Samaritan vessel Leslie Lee were able to transport dewatering pumps but the Coho crew declined assistance after they were able to dewater the vessel.

"We train everyday to help maintain readiness for any emergency situation," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Rex Walsingham, Sector Anchorage command center supervisor. "The training benefited us today as we were on scene and prepared to assist the crew aboard the Coho as needed."

The crew aboard the fishing vessel moored safely in Kodiak at 9 a.m.

Here's a Coast Guard video of the response.

Let's pull for the Polar Star

The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched a rescue helicopter and C-130 airplane this morning after the captain of the Polar Star radioed a mayday, saying the 58-foot seiner was taking on water and the crew of five was about to abandon ship. Rescuers arrived on the scene along the southern side of the Alaska Peninsula, some 65 miles west of Kodiak, to find the Polar Star crew in a skiff near the grounded vessel. The aircraft left the scene after the crew indicated they'll wait until high tide at 9:17 p.m. to try to refloat the seiner. The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan fishing boat are maintaining communications with the Polar Star crew. USCG photo