Coast Guard, partner agencies rescue surfer near Crescent City

MH-65D Dolphin, ©USCG

CRESCENT CITY, Calif. — The Coast Guard and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued a surfer who was swept out to sea near Crescent City, Saturday.

The surfer's sister called the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office, who then transferred the call to Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay watchstanders, at approximately 2:45 p.m., stating that she was watching her sister surf near South Beach in Crescent City when she lost sight of her.

Sector Humboldt Bay issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Sector Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office launched boat crews to the scene.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Bowman, a machinery technician assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter Dorado in Crescent City, joined the California Department of Fish and Wildlife boat crew to search the area. The two agencies were conducting joint boardings in the area, Saturday.

Bowman and the wardens aboard the California Department of Fish and Wildlife boat located the surfer alive, brought her aboard the boat and took her to shore where emergency medical services personnel were waiting.

"Currents and riptides along the California coast can be dangerous," said Cmdr. Brendan Hilleary, Sector Humboldt Bay's operations officer. "It was very smart of this surfer to have a buddy on scene to watch her. This rescue was the result of seamless interagency cooperation. We're proud to work alongside such dedicated members of our partner agencies."

-USCG-

Coast Guard responds to fishing vessel fire, oversees salvage operations near Eureka

Photos and video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Mendenhall

MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. — The Coast Guard is coordinating fuel removal and salvage operations Thursday for a fishing vessel that caught fire Wednesday near Eureka. 

Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Humboldt Bay pollution responders have determined the 47-foot vessel, Midori, is safe to tow to the Eureka Municipal docks, where a reported 1,500 gallons of diesel will be removed before the boat is salvaged. 

Fuel removal has not been scheduled. 

The case began around 9 a.m. Wednesday, after a crewmember from the distressed fishing vessel, Midori, contacted another fishing vessel, Charlie D, via cell phone to report a fire aboard.

The Charlie D crew contacted Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay watchstanders via VHF channel 16, reporting the Midori was on fire with five crewmembers preparing to abandon ship approximately 10 miles west of Trinidad. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched a Sector Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew to assist.

The Midori crew donned their survival suits and abandoned ship into a life raft prior to the Coast Guard’s arrival. A good Samaritan fishing vessel, Pacific Bully, rescued all five crew members before the Coast Guard helicopter and boat arrived at the location to find the vessel’s pilothouse engulfed in flames. Shortly after, a passing tug, the Michelle Sloan, diverted from its course and extinguished the fire aboard the Midori.

The captain of the Midori reported that the vessel had a maximum of 1,500 gallons of diesel remaining aboard, and that no serious injuries were sustained by the crew during the incident.

"The quick response of the vessels Pacific Bully, Charlie D and Michelle Sloan, along with the Midori’s readiness with appropriate survival equipment saved the lives of five fishermen yesterday," said Cmdr. Brendan Hilleary, the chief of response at Sector Humboldt Bay. "Our crews continued the good work this morning by mitigating the threat of pollution the vessel could have caused." 

Before the vessel was towed to port, a helicopter crew from Sector Humboldt Bay conducted an additional overflight Wednesday evening to assess any potential pollution and saw no signs of a spill in the area where the vessel caught fire. 

-USCG-

Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay aircrews to conduct annual evaluation

Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sherri Eng.

MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. — Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay aircrews are scheduled to undergo annual standardization training and evaluations Monday through April 27 in the Humboldt Bay area.

Flight-standardization instructors from the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama, arrived Monday to evaluate aircrew flight proficiency and procedures.

These evaluations will cause an increase in daily flights and an increase in helicopter traffic at Murray Airfield in Eureka, Samoa Airfield and Arcata Airport over the next two weeks.

The Coast Guard requires annual evaluations to test pilot and aircrew performance during search-and-rescue cases and reactions to in-flight emergencies. The evaluators will ensure that procedures are being performed to the Coast Guard's standards. These annual evaluations help maintain unit readiness to respond to missions and emergencies safely and effectively.

-USCG-