A good samaritan has aided the US Coast Guard in helping save a fisherman from a sinking vessel off the coast of Alaska at the weekend.
The 17th Coast Guard District received a report late on Saturday evening that the fishing vessel Viewpoint was tied to the good Samaritan fishing vessel Ocean Maid in Gardner Bay but was taking on water.
The master was reportedly unable to keep up with flooding despite multiple dewatering pumps provided to him by the assisting Ocean Maid crew.
A Ketchikan 47ft motor life boat and crew was dispatched to rescue the fisherman.
The flooding was under control when the Coast Guard arrived on scene in the early hours of Sunday morning and the decision was made to tow the Viewpoint to Ketchikan.
But while on tow, the Viewpoint began rapidly taking on water and the crew was unable to keep up with the flooding. The master was rescued from the vessel and the fishing vessel was allowed to sink.
Lt. Ryan Erickson of Sector Juneau, said: “Although the fishing vessel Viewpoint was lost, thanks to our Coast Guard crew and the assistance of a good samaritan in the area, there was no loss of life.”
