A man and two dogs have been rescued off Freshwater Bay, Alaska, USA, after a flare was used to alert a rescue helicopter crew.
US Coast Guard saved the man and his dogs early one morning in October after his 33-foot fishing boat, the Bailey Bay, sank in Freshwater Bay, near Hoonah.
The man made an emergency radio call to the Coast Guard, saying his boat was sinking and personnel from Station Juneau, Air Station Sitka and the Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman responded. Several other boats close by also heard the call for help and provided coordinates to the Coast Guard.
The man, who made his way onshore, used a flare to signal the rescue helicopter. He wore a survival suit.
Coast Guard Lt. Junior Grade Trevor Layman, a duty officer in the Sector Juneau Command Center, says, “This demonstrates the importance of coordination and communication between our Coast Guard crews and the local Alaskan vessels who were able to assist us in locating and rescuing the mariner.
“The mariner was well prepared for an emergency and utilised a flare to direct us to his specific location. All these factors allowed us to do our job in an efficient manner to bring the man and his dogs safely home.”
The crew of the Coast Guard cutter located the submerged wreckage of the Bailey Bay, which the owner plans to salvage. The cause of the incident is being investigated.
The image of the flare is courtesy of US Coast Guard.
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