A helicopter aircrew was launched from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak and requested assistance from the Alaska State Troopers. The watchstanders also made attempts to contact vessels near the location of the distress signal via radio, but the two crewmembers abandoned ship after the F/V TANUSHA began taking on water approximately 23 miles southeast of Kodiak.
Crewmembers aboard the F/V VICTORY received the request for assistance and navigated toward the last known location of the distressed vessel and found the two fishermen in a life raft. The F/V TANUSHA had capsized.
The two fishermen were hoisted by a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew with help from the Alaska State Trooper vessel STIMSON. The crewmembers were transported to awaiting emergency medical personnel in Kodiak with one fisherman suffering from hypothermia and a head injury.
“The use of a functioning and properly registered EPIRB means quite literally the difference between life and death,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Sean Streyle, a Communications Unit Controller at Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska. “In this case, it was our only notification that the crew of Tanusha needed assistance. This highlights the importance of mariners maintaining safety gear aboard their vessels. This and our close partnerships with the Alaska State Troopers and the good Samaritans were invaluable to the success of this rescue.”
The U.S. Coast Guard considers personal locator beacons (PLBs) to be essential safety equipment. These devices are part of a broader category of emergency beacons operating at 406 megahertz, a frequency monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in collaboration with international partners and organizations. Designed for individual use, PLBs must be manually activated during emergencies. The EPIRB works by transmitting a signal via satellite that can then be relayed to a rescue coordination center. The device can be automatically activated (for example if the device is under more than 3 meters of water) or manually activated to transmit a distress signal.
NOAA reports that the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system, which supports PLBs, has been instrumental in saving over 84,000 lives globally since its inception in 1982. In the United States, this technology has facilitated the rescue of more than 10,000 individuals, including over 350 last year alone who activated the system during emergencies. If you haven’t registered your EPIRB, please do so today. Your life might depend on it.