Author Topic: 4 Coast Guard Rescuers KIA (Read 321 times)

rpm · « **on:** December 09, 2004, 02:30:04 AM »

Quote

(CNN) -- A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed Wednesday off Alaska's Aleutian Islands while attempting to rescue crew members from a derelict Malaysian-flagged cargo ship, dumping 10 people into the frigid waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

According to Cmdr. Jeff Carter, an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter had already evacuated 18 of the 26-member crew from the Selendang Ayu when it went down near Unalaska Island.

"Another helicopter (HH-65 Dolphin) from the Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley, which is on scene, picked up four people and have taken them to Dutch Harbor for medical treatment, their condition is unknown," a Coast Guard statement said. "Six people are still unaccounted for."

It's believed four of the people on board the helicopter that crashed were Coast Guard rescuers.

Conditions in the area are turbulent with 35-knot winds and 5-foot seas with swells to 20 feet, according to Carter.

The 738 foot-long Selendang Ayu, carrying soybeans, lost power to its main engine Tuesday and has since broken in two, near fertile fisheries and a sea lion habitat. The ship has 500,000 gallons of fuel on board and authorities are concerned about a possible spill.

Semper Paratas

SunTracker · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2004, 02:38:43 AM »

Crap, even if they survived the crash, they would be dead within 5 minutes in that water. If they had survival suits on, then they would have 2 or 3 hours.

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2004, 02:46:38 AM »

Those are some bad waters. On a calm day it's like sailing in a frozen hurricane.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2004, 02:48:50 AM »

Were u there whewn u served in the CG?

rpm · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2004, 02:55:56 AM »

Yep, that's the area I served in mainly. 13th District.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2004, 04:02:24 AM »

Alaska sucks.

eskimo

Scootter · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2004, 05:44:29 AM »

must be slush to have 5 ft seas with a 35 knot wind, they should be more like 12 to 18 ft.

that cant be right

Nilsen · « **Reply #7 on:** December 09, 2004, 05:53:47 AM »

~~Coast guard "operators" everywere gets way to little credit for the job they do.~~

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #8 on:** December 09, 2004, 07:33:58 AM »

I've seen footage on TV of those seas.
fug dat chit

Maverick · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2004, 10:26:54 AM »

~~to the "coasties" that go in harms way that others may live. RIP~~

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2004, 10:39:52 AM »

Sad...

That news bit annoyed me...

4 Coast Guard rescuers missing....

More importantly the ship may pollute a fishery and sea lion area.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2004, 10:43:10 AM »

true hero's.

anybody who's spent any time at all on the ocean learns to really appreciate seeing that orange stripe around.

I know I'm probably mis-quoting this, but as an old friend who used to do SAR in the north pacific used to say-
"we are always required to respond to a distress call, returning is desirable but optional"

Lizking · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2004, 10:51:27 AM »

That is 5 foot chop on top of 20 foot seas, nasty stuff, and I bet the chop is not running wit the seas, either.