Commercial fishing vessel Arctic Storm experiences an engine room fire approximately 32 miles west of Grays Harbor, Wash., May 20, 2013. CoastGuard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews and 47-foot motor lifeboat crews oversaw the evacuation of 78 crew members after Arctic Storm's Halon firefighting system successfully extinguished the blaze.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Michael Wunderle

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard continues to respond to an extinguished vessel fire approximately 30 miles west of Grays Harbor, Wash., Monday.

Crewmembers aboard the fishing vessel Arctic Storm successfully put out the fire using the Halon chemical firefighting system aboard the ship.

 A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria and two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Grays Harbor monitored as good Samaritan vessels evacuated 78 of the 120 personnel aboard the fishing vessel. 42 crewmembers will remain aboard Arctic Storm to man the vessel. The 78 evacuated crewmembers were moved to commercial fishing vessels Northern Voyager, Golden Alaska, Sea Dawn and Excellence. Evacuated crewmembers are scheduled to be transported to Westport, Wash.

 A tug is enroute to tow the Arctic Storm to Aberdeen, Wash.

 Arctic Storm is reported to contain approximately 188,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

 No pollution or injuries have been reported. The Washington Department of Ecology was notified and is standing by to assist, if needed.

 The Coast Guard will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.

 For the previous press release regarding this case, click here.

 For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard is responding to a fire aboard a vessel approximately 32 miles west of Grays Harbor, Wash., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a call from the 314-foot fishing vessel Arctic Storm at approximately 3:20 p.m. reporting an uncontrolled engine room fire with 120 people on board.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River launched two MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Astoria, a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Cape Disappointment and two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Grays Harbor.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River has issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to alert all mariners in the area.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (503) 861-6132.

The Coast Guard hoists a person from the water off Sunset Beach near Warrenton, Ore., Friday. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew then transports the person to awaiting EMS in Warrenton. U.S. Coast Guard video by Sector Columbia River, Ore.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard hoisted a person from the water just off Sunset Beach near Warrenton, Ore., Friday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a call reporting a distressed teenaged female in the water off Sunset Beach at approximately 12:50 p.m.

Sector Columbia River sent an already airborne MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria to the scene. The helicopter crew arrived at approximately 1 p.m. to find a male struggling to rescue the imperiled female in the surf approximately 100 yards from shore.

The helicopter crew lowered a rescue basket and the man was able to load the girl into the basket for a hoist. The crew then hoisted the girl to the helicopter and transported her to Air Station Astoria in Warrenton, Ore., where she was placed in the care of awaiting local EMS.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.

GOLD BEACH, Ore. — The Coast Guard is scheduled to open its seasonal Rogue River Search and Rescue Detachment in Gold Beach, May 24, 2013.

The detachment is operated on a seasonal basis from Memorial Day weekend to early Fall depending on boating traffic and bar conditions. The Rogue River SAR detachment will be limited to operating the 25-foot response boat this season, due to shoaling which causes shallow water areas in the river. The river is no longer deep enough in many places to safely moor and operate a 47-foot motor lifeboat.

The 25-foot response boat crews are limited to operating in seas of six feet or less with no breaking surf. Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboats crews from Station Chetco River and helicopter crews from Air Station North Bend can respond to SAR in the vicinity of Rogue River.

The Coast Guard asks all boaters to pay close attention to bar conditions at the Rogue River as the weather can change rapidly causing conditions to deteriorate. A Rough Bar warning sign is posted at the Rogue River Station to notify boaters of any rough bar conditions. Contact Coast Guard Station Rogue River on VHF Channel 16 or land line (541) 247-7219 or (541) 469-2242.

Boaters are reminded to wear lifejackets while operating their boats and to ensure all distress signaling equipment is current and working properly. All vessels should carry an anchor with enough line attached to anchor their boat and continue to monitor marine weather broadcasts throughout the day.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (503) 861-6132.

ILWACO, Wash. — The Coast Guard invites the public to attend an open house and blood drive at Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Saturday, May 18, 2013, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Station Cape Disappointment, the National Motor Lifeboat School, as well as the motor lifeboats and 25-foot response boat will be open for tours.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary will be on scene to take vessel safety check appointments. Columbia River Bar Pilots and local search-and-rescue agencies including fish and wildlife, fire and police will attend as well. The Columbia River Chiefs’ Mess will have barbecue for sale.

American Red Cross will be on site to accept blood donations.

For more information, please contact Station Cape Disappointment at (360) 642-2382.

WHO: Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Columbia River Bar Pilots, Washington Dept. Fish and Wildlife, local police and fire, general public

WHAT: Coast Guard open house and blood drive

WHERE: Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, 322 Coast Guard Rd., Ilwaco

WHEN: Saturday, May 18, 2013, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay tows the fishing vessel Granada to Garibaldi, Ore., April 24, 2013. The vessel was carrying 20,000 pounds of shrimp when the vessel became disabled.  Photo by GJ Castro. 

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard came to the assistance of two fishing vessels, helping to save a total catch of 35 tons of shrimp from spoiling Wednesday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received distress calls from the crews of the fishing vessels Granada and Cap Elza near Tillamook Bay, Ore., and Depoe Bay, Ore., respectively.  Both crews reported their vessels had become disabled with a large catch of shrimp aboard.

Motor lifeboat crews from Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay and Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay were dispatched to assist the vessels and tow them safely to shore.  The crew of the Granada was taken to Garibaldi, Ore., with 10 tons of shrimp aboard and the crew of the Cap Elza was taken to Newport, Ore., with 25 tons of shrimp aboard after their tow was transferred to a crew from Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay, Ore.

"The commercial fishing industry is a vital part of our regional economy and maritime traditions," said Capt. Bruce Jones, Sector Columbia River Commander.  "While the Coast Guard is committed to maintaining its readiness to respond to vessels in distress, we continue to focus on preventing mishaps through robust, responsible vessel maintenance and safety practices.  We are fortunate that yesterday's incidents occurred in calm weather and neither the Coast Guard nor fishing vessels crews were put in danger while towing the disabled vessels across the Tillamook and Depoe Bay bars.  That is often not the case."

Coast Guard units along the Oregon coast towed 62 disabled fishing vessels in 2012.  The catches from these vessels serve an important economic role for the Pacific Northwest fishing industry, a $13 billion industry.  In the interest of safety, the Coast Guard offers free Commercial Fishing Vessel Training courses to instruct fishing vessel crews in damage control and vessel stability.  More information about these courses can be obtained at http://www.uscg.mil/d13/cfvs/Training.asp.

For more information, please contact the Coast Guard Public Affairs office at 503-861-6237. 

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard came to the aid of two people as their 38-foot vessel began taking on water south of Lummi Island, Wash., Friday.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a radio call from the 38-foot pleasure craft White Fox at approximately 10:40 a.m., stating they were taking on water South of Lummi Island near Vendovi Island, Wash.

Sector Puget Sound launched a 45-foot response boat from Station Bellingham and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles, Wash.

The 45-foot response boat arrived on scene, approximately 1000 yards east of Vendovi Island, at approximately 11 a.m., and transferred a crewmember aboard the White Fox. The crewmember was able to locate and secure a faulty valve on the vessel, preventing it from taking on more water. The crewmember then assisted in dewatering the pleasure craft using its bilge pumps.

The 45-foot response boat crew towed the craft to its homeport in Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, Wash., arriving at approximately 12:40 p.m. No injuries were reported. A boarding of the vessel yielded no violations.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard medevaced an injured 12-year-old boy from Neah Bay, Wash., to Seattle, Thursday.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a request for the medevac, of a 12-year-old boy with serious head injuries, from the Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center on the Makah Indian Reservation, in Neah Bay, early Thursday afternoon. Airlift Northwest in Seattle declined a previous request due to dangerously low visibility.

Sector Puget Sound launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., at approximately 2:11 p.m. The helicopter crew landed at Coast Guard Station Neah Bay at approximately 2:43 p.m., where awaiting Sophie Trettevick EMS helped load the patient aboard the helicopter.

The Coast Guard crew transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle at approximately 4:17 p.m. The patient was last reported to have a skull fracture and major head trama. His current condition is unknown.

 For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.

ASTORIA, Ore. — Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Clatsop County, local police, fire, rescue, hospitals and other agencies conducted a Mass Rescue and Maritime Security exercise on the Astoria waterfront Wednesday.

The exercise focused on initial response actions and interagency cooperation during a significant on-water event and provided the response community an opportunity to improve preparedness and practice command and control in the field within an incident command/unified command framework.

The scenario consisted of a simulated cruise ship, represented by the Job Corps vessel Ironwood, experiencing an explosion and grounding west of the Astoria-Megler Bridge.  Numerous casualties aboard the vessel required search and rescue and victim transportation to shore for triage and medical treatment by local EMS and hospital staff, with some victims taken for simulated follow-on treatment at local hospitals.  An investigation of the explosion was ensued by appropriate law enforcement agencies to determine causes and follow-on actions.

Agencies participating in this event included: Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, US Job Corps, Clatsop County Emergency Management, FBI and Coast Guard Investigative Services, Columbia River Bar Pilots, Port of Astoria, Oregon State Police, Astoria Fire Dept., Astoria Police Dept., Cannon Beach Fire Dept., Port of Portland Fire & Rescue, Clatsop Co. Sheriff Office, Clatsop Co. Public Health, Medix Ambulance Service, Clatsop Co. Red Cross, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Providence Seaside Hospital and other local agencies and stakeholders.

"Crisis response is a team sport; the complexity of this exercise reinforced how many different private sector, federal, state and local agencies have critical roles to play in safeguarding our communities during any significant event," said Capt. Bruce Jones, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River commander.  "The enthusiasm, commitment and teamwork which each of the participating groups displayed was impressive, and tells me that we have a solid framework in place for an interagency response here at the Gateway to the Columbia River."   

For additional information, please contact the 13^th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Detachment in Astoria at (503) 861-6132.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, other state and local agencies, along with Chevron Shipping and numerous pollution response and salvage companies and organizations participated in a major drill in Astoria, Thursday, designed to prepare personnel for a coordinated response in the event of a large vessel collision, fire and oil spill in the Lower Columbia River Region.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon DEQ, Maritime Fire and Safety Association, local fire and rescue members of the Fire Protection Agencies Advisory Council, Columbia River Crossing and numerous response contractors joined Chevron Shipping at an Incident Command Post in Patriot Hall at Clatsop Community College for a joint-effort practice response to the mock scenario.

Personnel spent the day engaged in a practice scenario reflecting a collision scenario on the Lower Columbia River. Drill participants were engaged in the standardized Incident Command System that is used by cooperating agencies with overlapping areas of responsibility in response to large-scale events that threaten public health and safety, environment and wildlife, flow of commerce, or public and private property. ICS enables integrated communication and planning by establishing a manageable span of control over a large incident. An ICS divides emergency response into five manageable functions essential for emergency response operations: command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance and administration.

The drill allowed for practice of the comprehensive system which promotes timely, well-coordinated and effective response to vessel incidents in the Lower Columbia Region including vessel fires, collisions and oil spills.

The goal of the drill was to prepare responders to protect and enhance the quality of life of the citizens within the region as well as the environment through agency coordination.

"The Columbia River is a busy maritime highway vital to the Pacific Northwest's economic health,” said Capt. Bruce Jones, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Commanding Officer. “Astoria is the gateway to our maritime transportation system and an ideal location for this exercise, which helps ensure that our local, state, federal and private sector partners are prepared to respond effectively and quickly in the event of a variety of disasters.  Partnerships and exercises are key elements of the Coast Guard's strategy to ensure the safety, security and environmental protection of Oregon and Washington waters."

For additional information about ICS, CLICK HERE. For more information on the spill drill, contact Petty Officer Nathan Littlejohn, U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment Astoria, at (503) 861-6132.

Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Stephen Bobian (right) accepts the Sumner I. Kimball Award and pennant from Capt. Daniel LeBlanc on behalf of Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, March 1, 2013. The crew of ANT Astoria has won the Kimball Award for two consecutive years for their exemplary professionalism and readiness. (Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert)

The crew of Aids to Navigation Team Astoria proudly display the Sumner I. Kimball Award pennant, March 1, 2013. The crew of ANT Astoria has won the Kimball Award for two consecutive years for their exemplary professionalism and readiness. (Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert)

ASTORIA, Ore. — Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria received the Sumner I. Kimball award for excellence  Friday.

The award recognizes excellence in operational readiness and vessel condition.  It is awarded by Coast Guard Headquarters' Office of Boat Forces after a thorough inspection of Coast Guard units to determine if crews are meeting the high standards of the service.  Those units, which exceed the readiness standard are considered the best of the best.  Only ten percent of all Coast Guard shore-based boat forces units are awarded the honor every year.

"I am privileged to present Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria with the Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award," said Capt. Daniel LeBlanc, Commander of Marine Safety Unit Portland, Ore.  "It is obvious to me the ANT Astoria crew is well prepared to perform their mission having earned this award for two consecutive years.  I am proud of Chief Bentle and each and every member of his crew."

Aids to Navigation Team Astoria is responsible for six lighthouses, 302 minor (smaller) aids to navigation and performs discrepancy response for 287 aids belonging to USCGC Fir and USCGC Bluebell. The ANT operates a 26 foot and a 20 foot trailerable aids to navigation boats towed by 4x4 one ton crew cab trucks to perform their mission. They also operate an assortment of small field equipment and weight handling equipment.

"The maritime community and industry on the Columbia River relies on what you do," Captain LeBlanc told ANT Astoria crew members.  "The work of ANT Astoria allows their crews to safely navigate these waters, and they're the first to sing your praises when the weather gets rough."

For more information, please contact the Coast Guard Public Affairs Office at 503-861-6237.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Rashad Gipson, aviation maintenance technician at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River's Air Station Astoria, Ore., stands before an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Feb. 25, 2013.Gibson's character and work ethic lend not only to his success as an aviation maintenance technician, but to the success of Sector Columbia River's Air Station Astoria and the Coast Guard as a whole.U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

Petty Officer 3rd Class Rashad Gipson, aviation maintenance technician at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River's Air Station Astoria, Ore., prepares for a training flight aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Feb. 25, 2013.Gipson is working toward qualification as a flight mechanic with the responsibility of operating the hoist cable that lowers and raises the rescue swimmer, equipment, and people in distress.U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

Hero in the hangar

by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

ASTORIA, Ore. — We often hear about the rescuer. The brave act of the hero who dangles at the end of a helicopter cable to retrieve the imperiled hiker stranded on a ledge, or the boat driver who mans the helm for six hours in 20-foot swells to tow a stranded fishing vessel through the storm to the safety of a harbor. Such bravery in the face of danger deserves recognition and will always make for a good story.

There are thousands of Coast Guard men and women who work daily to make the actions of these rescuers possible; to turn potential lifesaving opportunities into real life situations that mean the difference between life and death.  During times like these, the lives at stake are not only those of the victims, but those of the heroic rescuers who come to their aid.  Coast Guardsmen miles away and hours, weeks and years before have worked to ensure reliable equipment, adequate training and well maintained boats and helicopters. Some of these men and women do this while training to fill the role of the rescuer, taking on a number or roles and responsibilities within our service.

One such Coast Guardsman, Petty Officer 3^rd Class Rashad Gipson, aviation maintenance technician (AMT) at Sector Columbia River’s Air Station Astoria, Ore., works to ensure that all three Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters at the unit are ready to respond when the search-and-rescue alarm goes off. His commitment to the Coast Guard began shortly after he got his associates degree and found himself less than satisfied in several different workplaces.

“After two years of college I worked several different jobs doing a variety of things,” Gipson explained. “I worked jobs in construction, reception and did some tutoring, but I found myself wanting more from my job.”

Gipson’s father, a retired Marine Captain, suggested Gipson look at what the Coast Guard had to offer. Gipson did some research, spoke to his local recruiter and decided to enlist.

“The Coast Guard provides the stability and value I was looking for in my work,” stated Gipson. “My daily responsibilities have meaning. I contribute to the Coast Guard’s missions, the most important of which is to save lives. What can be more important than that?” he smiled.

Gipson graduated from the required two-month basic training at Cape May, N. J., and was sent to serve on Cutter Tahoma, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter out of Portsmouth, N. H.  During his two years there, he worked as a Fireman, an entry-level machinery technician who works to maintain the various mechanical components aboard a cutter, including the ship’s engines.

“I learned a lot and gained valuable experience aboard the Tahoma,” Gipson said. “I came to realize that performing mechanical work appeals to me. Welding and metal work, for example, are skills that translate into daily life and can be useful at home or in a career outside the Coast Guard someday. Though I knew I wanted to continue mechanical work, I wanted to see what sort of challenges I would face on the aviation side of the Coast Guard. I worked hard to enter and complete the Airman Program at Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., went to school to get trained in my current field and now work as an AMT here in Astoria.”

Gipson is known at Sector Columbia River as more than a skilled AMT, but someone who motivates others.

“Rashad is a motivated technical mechanic on the hangar deck with a endless drive to see maintenance to completion, said Petty Officer 1^st Class Christian Salinas, a lead AMT at Air Station Astoria. “On weekend duty days it is always reassuring to know he is part of my duty section; that any aircraft discrepancies will be met with one of our best trouble shooters. Gipson ensures that all possible solutions have been exhausted. He is currently working to become flight mechanic qualified, and his enthusiasm has become infectious to the other members who are waiting in line to work on the same qualifications.”

A flight mechanic is the person aboard a Coast Guard helicopter who, among many other navigational and mechanical responsibilities, runs the hoist. The hoist controls the cable that lowers equipment and people to the helicopter. When the Coast Guard is called to rescue fishermen from a sinking ship on a dark and stormy night 75 miles from shore, the flight mechanic lowers the rescue swimmer to the distressed vessel, all the while relaying aircraft commands to the helicopter pilot who is not able to see the bobbing vessel, the water around it, the rescue swimmer, or the victim.

Gipson, among countless other jobs at the Air Station, is well on his way to becoming a flight mechanic.

“Just like any other job in the Coast Guard,” Gipson elaborated. “AMTs have a wide variety of primary responsibilities. Flexibility is crucial. We must be able to transition from one set of mechanical problems to another at a moment’s notice, to rapidly transition from one mechanical system to another with acute attention to detail. Focus and flexibility are key, as is the ability to remain calm. Right now I am looking forward to completing my qualifications as a flight mechanic so I can spend more time flying and see more action outside the hangar-to get up in the air and save some lives.”

Gipson’s work ethic and drive keep him going, but his conduct, character and attitude are every bit as integral to his success at the Air Station.

“Rashad Gipson is 100% genuine,” said Chief Petty Officer Paul Whittle, head AMT at the Air Station. “He is open to learn or share knowledge from or with anyone who is willing and he maintains the highest level of integrity. He is always a positive influence on the hangar deck. Coming in to work in the morning, we could be faced with a large stack of work to do. He always is glass-half-full.”

“Gipson worked for me as an Airman in Cape Cod before I transferred here,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Joseph Adams, Lead Engineering Chief at the Air Station. “He was, and continues to be a hard worker with an infectious positive attitude. I'm impressed by how quickly he picked up maintenance techniques and how he became the number one Spindle Technician in the shop. He is level-headed, well-liked, and a positive influence for the entire hangar."

Gipson attributes to his father not only his decision to join the Coast Guard, but with the success he’s found within the organization.

“My father has always been and continues to be a positive influence in my life,” noted Gipson. “I will do my best to follow his example and live up to his legacy. If I become half the man he is, I will be good to go.”

Gipson’s character and work ethic lend not only to his success as an Aviation Maintenance Technician, but to the success of Sector Columbia River’s Air Station Astoria and the Coast Guard as a whole.

The Coast Guard is made up of many people like Gipson. Some will eventually find themselves performing heroic acts of valor on dark and stormy nights, but most will achieve heroism unseen and unknown in a mundane work environment.

Today in an office, an engine room, a hangar deck, a galley, a paint locker, a boathouse, under a sink, in a watchtower, a command center and behind a front desk, work thousands of Coast Guard heroes, always ready to respond.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard rescued three people aboard a vessel taking on water near Grays Harbor, Wash., Tuesday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River recieved a distress call from the crew of the 58-foot crabbing vessel Persistence at 8:50 p.m.  The crew reported they were taking on water approximately 5 miles northwest of the Grays Harbor bar and were low on fuel for their dewatering pump.

Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor dispatched two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews to the scene.  The crews delivered two dewatering pumps to the vessel and escorted the Persistence and its crew safely back to Grays Harbor.  There were no injuries reported.

Weather on scene consisted of winds of 10-20 knots and seas of 10-12 feet.

For more information about this case, contact the the Coast Guard Public Affairs office at 503-861-6237.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., hoists a man from an 18-foot vessel battling 40-knot winds and five to eight-foot swells in Penn Cove, Wash., Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. The helicopter crew rescued a total of two men and a dog from the recreational vessel equipped with no engine, sail, or other means of propulsion. U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Port Angeles, Wash.

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard rescued two men and a dog from a recreational vessel adrift in Penn Cove, Wash., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report at approximately 10:30 a.m., stating a small pleasure craft was adrift in Penn Cove near Coupeville, Wash., with what appeared to be two distressed people on board.

Sector Puget Sound diverted an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles and Cutter Adelie to assist.

The helicopter crew arrived on scene to find two men and a dog aboard the approximate 18-foot boat battling 40-knot winds and five to eight-foot swells approximately one mile off Long Point. The vessel had no engine, sail, or other means of propulsion.

The helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer and successfully hoisted both people and the dog to safety. The people were transported to Whidbey General Hospital. They were last reported to have been released with no injuries.

The people stated they had been adrift since approximately 8:30 a.m., when they were blown away from shore while attempting to trailer the vessel.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.

*This release corrects the length of the barge to 250 feet.  All other information remains the same.*

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology are responding to a listing barge in Commencement Bay near Tacoma, Wash., Sunday.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report at approximately 1:15 p.m., stating a 250-foot Amix Marine Services barge, from Canada, anchored in Commencement Bay was listing and possibly taking on water.

Schnitzer Steel hired Global Salvage and Diving to inspect the barge’s hull. Divers located a crack in the hull and were successful in making repairs and stabilizing the barge. Canadian company Amix Marine Services, which owns the barge, has retained Global for further work as needed. The items on the barge are owned by Schnitzer Steel.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound launched a 25-foot response boat crew from Station Seattle to investigate, while Ecology dispatched spill responders to the area. The Coast Guard boat arrived on scene with a Tacoma Fire Department boat to find the barge, which had stacks of crushed cars on it, to be listing. An undetermined number of cars fell into the water, causing oil sheen. The barge reportedly contains no pollutants and the crushed cars were reportedly drained of all fluids prior to being crushed and loaded. Even though the cars have been drained of fluids, residual amounts of oil are present in the vehicles.

The Coast Guard established a 250-yard safety zone around the barge. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles conducted an overflight just before nightfall and reported a light sheen in the vicinity of the barge.

The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology will continue to work with the Canadian barge owner and contractors to mitigate any pollution threats or navigational hazards associated with the barge.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.