Alaska Fishing Boat Sinks, Two Crewmembers Rescued Near Kodiak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) — Two crewmembers of a Kodiak-based fishing boat were rescued Wednesday after their vessel began sinking approximately 23 miles southeast of Kodiak, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The distress signal was sent via the boat’s radio beacon at 9:48 a.m., prompting an immediate response. The two crewmembers, who were the only people aboard the Tanusha, were found in a life raft near the capsized vessel by the fishing boat Victory, which responded to the alert.

One of the fishermen showed signs of hypothermia and sustained a head injury, officials said. Both were hoisted to safety by a Coast Guard helicopter and transported to Kodiak, where they received medical treatment and were reported in stable condition.

The Tanusha, a longliner fishing boat built in Kodiak, had previously experienced an incident in February 2009, though details of that event were not immediately available. The Coast Guard confirmed that nearby vessels were notified of the distress call, and the Victory was the first to arrive on the scene.

Video footage released by the Coast Guard shows the dramatic rescue, with one crewmember being lifted from an Alaska State Troopers vessel by a helicopter. The cause of the sinking remains under investigation.