The motor vessel Pacific Queen grounded at Harris Harbor in Juneau, Alaska,  Aug. 12, 2014.  Coast Guard pollution responders arrived on scene, observed a small sheen and maintains an active role in overseeing the safety of the worksite. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffry Crews.

JUNEAU, Alaska – Coast Guard Sector Juneau personnel responded to a report of possible pollution caused by the grounding of the motor vessel Pacific Queen, moored at Harris Harbor in Juneau, Tuesday morning.

Coast Guard pollution responders arrived on scene and observed a small sheen.  The hull of Pacific Queen sustained minor damage due to grounding.

The owner of the vessel took actions to regain the stability of their vessel and mitigate any threat of pollution.  The Coast Guard will maintain an active role in overseeing the safety of the worksite.

“Even though this is a small spill, Coast Guard members are trained to respond to all sizes of spills of oil or hazardous materials,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Jeffry Crews, Sector Juneau marine science technician.  “Any sheen is required to be reported to your local Coast Guard unit or the National Response Center 1-800-424-8802 as soon as possible.”

The owner of Pacific Queen reports the vessel has an estimated 150 gallons of diesel onboard.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard, state and local first responders are responding Wednesday to an overloaded tank containing sodium hydroxide in Norfolk along the Elizabeth River.

Norfolk Fire Department contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads command center personnel at approximately 7:30 a.m., reporting a chemical tank was overloaded at a Kinder-Morgan terminal on the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River.

Coast Guard pollution responders have been dispatched to the scene to work with local agencies to assess the situation, implement plans to contain any potential leakage and insure the safe unloading of the sodium hydroxide to additional containers.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard is investigating a multiple vessel collision on the Mississippi River near Gretna, early Wednesday.

Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector New Orleans command center received a report, late Tuesday evening, that the Maltese-flagged vessel Flag Gangos lost power and steering near mile marker 97.4 on the Lower Mississippi River. The Flag Gangos collided with the Liberian-flagged vessel Pamisos and the barge Web 235, both moored at the International Matex Tank Terminals conducting transfer operations.

The crew of the towing vessel Capt. Shawn D. Martinez was transferring number six fuel oil from the barge when the barge broke free causing some oil to be discharged into the river from the transfer hose. The hose was shut off immediately following the incident.

Responders on scene deployed boom in the area of the incident. Both the vessel Pamisos and the barge sustained damage, no injuries were reported.

Coast Guard Captain of the Port, New Orleans, has implemented one-way traffic in the vicinitiy of the International Matex Tank Terminals near Gretna.

A Coast Guard Station New Orleans boatcrew and Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew are on scene to assist as needed.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.

LOS ANGELES – The Coast Guard will be conducting Operation Mystery Sheen for the next month throughout the Cabrillo, Calif., and Wilmington, Calif., areas. 

Oil pollution that can cause a sheen on the water is not only a violation of federal, state and local laws but damages the environment to a point of no recovery. 

Responders from Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach will be working in coordination with local and state pollution response officials throughout the area.

Responders will be patrolling local Wilmington and Cabrillo marinas by foot and vehicle starting Monday through Sept. 11. They will not only conduct response and investigations of mystery sheens, but also educate the marina’s operators, tenants and users about the requirement for reporting oil spills and other efforts aimed at protecting the environment, natural resources and property.

For more information or questions please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Aidan Leddy at (310) 521-3780 or LT Brownie Kuk at (310) 521- 3781.

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard and the Macomb County, Michigan, Sheriff's Marine Division combined efforts to rescue a 31-year-old man aboard a 16-foot boat in Lake St. Clair Wednesday morning after he had been reported overdue Tuesday evening.

The name of the man is not being released and there is no Coast Guard imagery or video available.

Just after 6 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Detroit were notified by the Macomb County Sheriff of a 31-year-old man who was overdue from a fishing trip in Lake St. Clair.

It was reported that the man had set out from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, at noon Tuesday. The man checked in with his father at around 4 p.m., stating that he was fine, but then he never returned home. His last known position came from a ping on his cell phone at around 6 p.m.

Sector Detroit directed the launch of a crew from Station St. Clair Shores aboard a 25-foot response boat and a crew from Air Station Detroit aboard a Dolphin helicopter. They also issued an urgent marine information broadcast that advises mariners of a situation, asks them to keep a sharp lookout, to report all sightings to the nearest Coast Guard unit and to assist if possible.

The Canadian Coast Guard also dispatched a crew from Station Port Lambton, Ontario, aboard a rigid-hull inflatable boat.

At 9:15 a.m., a Macomb County Sheriff's Marine Division boat crew located the man in Lake St. Clair and towed him and his vessel to shore at the marine division docks. He was found in good condition and stated that he had waited overnight for the weather to clear, however he had ran out of fuel and was unable to return to shore.

"We are very happy with the outcome of this case," said Chief Petty Officer Gabriel Settel, the assistant command center supervisor at Sector Detroit. "The ping from the man's cell phone helped us to establish a more precise search area, that ultimately lead to his rescue."

The Coast Guard recommends that mariners always take a marine radio with them when they head out on the lake. Marine radios are more reliable than cell phones during an emergency. The Coast Guard is always monitoring VHF-FM channel 16 for signs of distress.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard, federal, state and local first responders are responding Wednesday to a sodium hydroxide chemical leak in Norfolk along the Elizabeth River.

It was initially reported the tank was overloaded.  Information received since indicates the tank was leaking and not overloaded.

Norfolk Fire-Rescue contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads command center personnel at approximately 7:30 a.m., reporting a chemical tank was leaking at a Kinder-Morgan terminal on the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River.

Coast Guard pollution responders were dispatched to the scene alongside personnel from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Norfolk Fire-Rescue, Norfolk Police Department, City of Chesapeake, City of Portsmouth, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia Port Authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assess the situation.  

While the leak is currently contained, a hazard still remains until the product is removed from the tank. Federal, state and local responders are implementing a plan to transfer the product from the tank.

The Coast Guard and Norfolk Fire-Rescue have implemented a security zone in the Elizabeth River from the Berkley Bridge to the Campostella Bridge.

There is no report of the sodium hydroxide in the Elizabeth River.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Carr, an aviation survival technician assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., is lowered from an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter onto the deck of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Naden, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Sidney, British Columbia, during a training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. Once aboard, Carr instructed crewmembers on the proper techniques for tending a trail line and completing helicopter hoists. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Carr, an aviation survival technician assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., explains the proper use of the helicopter rescue strop to members of the Canadian coast guard and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue at the Victoria International Airport before a joint underway training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. Canadian coast guard officials arranged the training event as an opportunity to meet members of each agency and practice techniques necessary for completing a joint rescue operation along the international maritime border. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., prepares to lower a rescue basket onto the deck of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Naden, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Sidney, British Columbia, during a training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. The aircrew lowered and retrieved a rescue swimmer and rescue basket to allow the boatcrew to practice hoist procedures necessary during the transfer of an injured person. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

A mayday call comes over the radio.

A mariner is in trouble in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the international maritime boundary between the western United States and Canada.

U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian coast guard crews stand ready to respond. 

But which nation answers the call?

In many cases, the solution may be both.

Members of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., speak with members of the Canadian coast guard and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue about the abilities and limitations of the Dolphin at the Victoria International Airport before conducting an underway training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. Participants also discussed agency organization, policies and standard training during the event. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

“From a partnership perspective, we share a very close working area with Canada,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Kurczewski, aircraft commander assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Washington. “Cases can sometimes be right on the border." 

Canadian coast guard officials invited an aircrew from Air Station Port Angeles to Sidney, British Columbia, for a day of underway training exercises to practice responding to search and rescue cases along the 125-mile shared international maritime border.

Collaboration between the U.S. and Canadian coast guard is nothing new. Agency officials have been working together for years to combat illegal drug, weapons and contraband trafficking and illegal fishing activity along the maritime border.

One of the key roles of both coast guards is to protect mariners, no matter what side of the border they may drive, sail or paddle through.

“We have a strong history of collaboration,” said Michael Mitchell, Canadian coast guard search and rescue program officer. “The purpose of today’s training is to enhance our partnerships and gain a better understanding of our roles and capabilities.”

The four-person MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles met with members of the Canadian coast guard and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue at the Victoria International Airport in British Columbia, Aug. 7, 2014. The RCM-SAR is an all-volunteer service equipped and trained by the Canadian coast guard to respond to maritime distress calls along the Canadian coast.

Members of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., speak with members of the Canadian coast guard about the abilities and limitations of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Naden, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Sidney, British Columbia, before conducting an underway training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. Similar to U.S. Coast Guard 47-foot Motor Life Boats, the Cape Naden is designed to operate in rough conditions with a continuous wind speed of up to 80 knots and seas up to 36 feet. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

Participants of the exercise introduced themselves and explained their role in search and rescue missions in the area. The aircrew exhibited the Dolphin and demonstrated rescue gear, then toured Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Naden, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Sidney, British Columbia, and two RCM-SAR Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats.

After a thorough review of the training plan and a safety brief, crewmembers of the Dolphin, the Cape Naden and five RCM-SAR vessels took off for Moresby Passage, about 5 miles northeast of Sidney, British Columbia.

The Dolphin aircrew approached the Cape Naden and completed a variety of hoists with their rescue swimmer and rescue basket. Cape Naden crewmembers practiced tending the trail line to guide objects onto the boat deck while maintaining a consistent course and speed.

The RCM-SAR crews also practiced station keeping with the Dolphin crew overhead.

“Since we had the opportunity to hoist with the Canadian coast guard, I am optimistic that working with them during actual cases and training missions could be accomplished seamlessly and routinely,” said Kurczewski. “Working with Canada offers platform diversity compared to the U.S. Coast Guard boats that we regularly work with. It also maintains the safety of working with other professional organizations such as the Canadian coast guard and the RCM-SAR.”

At the end of the day, the training was more than just an exchange of best practices. It was also an exchange of names, faces and handshakes.

“We don’t meet anyone over the radio,” said Mitchell. “This is a unique opportunity to meet in person. Personal interaction is golden.”

As the vessels motor back to their home piers and the Dolphin turns south once again, American and Canadian mariners alike can boat confidently with the knowledge that two coast guards are standing the watch.  

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., makes an approach toward Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Naden, a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Sidney, British Columbia, during a training exercise in Moresby Passage, Aug. 7, 2014. The U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian coast guard crews organized the training event to practice skills necessary for safely completing a joint rescue along the international maritime border. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

NEW ORLEANS — Coast Guard Captain of the Port, New Orleans, has reopened the Mississippi River to all traffic transiting around the International Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) between mile marker 96 and mile marker 98, Wednesday at 2 p.m.

The disabled vessel, Flag Gangos, is no longer impeding traffic. The slow-bell requirement is still in effect in the vicinity of the IMTT facility.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.

For the initial press release of the incident, please click here.

VINALHAVEN, MAINE- The Coast Guard is investigating the death of a mariner discovered in the water alongside his unmanned fishing boat in Hurricane Sound.

At 1:43pm, Coast Guard Station Rockland received a report from a Good Samaritan aboard a lobster boat who had discovered the incident. Coast Guard Station Rockland immediately launched a Response Boat Small. Maine Marine Patrol diverted two vessels already underway.

Maine Marine Patrol transferred the person to emergency medical personnel in Carvers Harbor who pronounced him deceased.  The Coast Guard confirmed that he was the only person in the water, and has the lead on the investigation into the cause of the incident.  The vessel is safely moored in Carvers Harbor.

"This is a heartbreaking incident in this community. We want to find out exactly what happened, so we can prevent a similar tragedy from occuring again. Remember to wear a lifejacket if you are on the water by yourself" said Lt. Scott McCann, from Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. 

Media inquiries can be directed to Lt. Scott McCann, Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Public Affairs Officer:(207) 767-0318.

Editor's note: For an audio file of the mayday call and a graphic of the search area click on the icon above.

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard rescued a man in a life raft after his sailboat sank approximately seven miles south of Diamond Head, Tuesday.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center overheard a brief mayday call over VHF channel 16 at 7:43 p.m., with no additional information. 

Sector Honolulu received a call from a woman at 9:05 p.m., stating her friend had gone out sailing Tuesday evening in his 41-foot sailing vessel, Esperanza, and had not returned. She also stated that her friend had sent her a text message saying he needed help, provided his position and to "Send the Coast Guard."

Sector Honolulu diverted a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew at 9:16 p.m., from Coast Guard Station Honolulu to begin a search.

At 9:44 p.m., the RB-M crew noticed a blinking light in the vicinity of the relayed position and discovered a mariner in a small life raft holding an activated and blinking Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon and GPS tracker.

The Coast Guard received the first located signal from the EPIRB at 9:26 p.m. At 9:50 p.m., the exact location of the EPIRB was received.

The man stated his boat had struck something very hard, began taking on water and rapidly sank. He had just enough time to transmit a brief distress call on the radio, message his friend, deploy his life raft and activate his EPIRB.

The man was safely transported to Coast Guard Base Honolulu where his friend picked him up. No injuries were reported. The boat sank in approximately 300 feet of water.

"The man seemed to be very well prepared with the proper lifesaving equipment," said Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Peterson, a watchstander at Sector Honolulu. "If it wasn't for his EPIRB and text message being sent, we would have been searching in the wrong area."

Maritime accidents can occur quickly and without warning to even the most experienced mariners. The Coast Guard advises all mariners to ensure they have a working VHF radio, flares, lifejackets and an EPIRB. Multiple communications mechanisms, such as VHF radios, an EPIRB and flares, greatly improve the chance of signaling distress. Mariners are also advised to file a float plan with a friend, family member or local harbormaster. Float plans provide critical information to first responders should a mariner fail to return, such as in this case.

For more information about EPIRB's, visit the Official Blog of the U.S. Coast Guard: 'What's an EPRB?' For a complete list of recommended safety equipment visit www.uscgboating.org.

Click the image above to view and download video of the medevac.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Facility Charleston hoisted an injured man off a container ship 78 miles east of Charleston Thursday.

A Coast Guard flight surgeon recommended the medevac after watchstanders in the Sector Charleston command center were notified the crewman’s eye was injured while he was performing his duties aboard the ship Northern Dexterity.

A Charleston helicopter crew flew to the ship, hoisted the man and transported him to the Medical University of South Carolina for further treatment. He was in stable condition at the time of the transfer.

For breaking news follow us on Twitter @uscgsoutheast.

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard rescued four men after the 30-foot vessel they were aboard struck the breakwall on the north side of the Milwaukee Harbor entrance late Thursday evening.

The names of those involved are not being released and there is no Coast Guard imagery or video associated with this case.

Just after 9:30 p.m., local time, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee received notification from the Milwaukee Police Dispatch of a 30-foot vessel that had hit the Milwaukee Harbor outer breakwall with three possible injuries reported.

Sector Lake Michigan directed the launch of a crew from Coast Guard Station Milwaukee, aboard a 45-foot response boat. The crew arrived on scene less than 15 minutes later and transported all four men to McKinley Marina, where they were met by waiting emergency medical services. 

The operator had hit his head resulting in a possible concussion, one passenger had broken ribs and another passenger showed signs of whiplash. The fourth person aboard did not require any medical attention.

All three injured men were taken by EMS to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. Their current conditions are unknown.

A Milwaukee Police Marine unit moved the vessel away from the breakwall and towed it to McKinley Marina. There was no pollution reported.

The cause of the collision is unknown and Aids-to-Navigation Team Kenosha, Wisconsin, will conduct ATON verification.

The Coast Guard reminds mariners to exercise caution when entering and exiting areas where breakwalls are present. Ensure you are familiar with the area, have up-to-date nautical charts and always post a lookout.

Crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark rescued 100 Haitian migrants from a grossly overloaded sail freighter in Bahamian waters and safely embarked them onto the cutter on August 11, 2014. U.S. Coast Guard Photo

MIAMI – The Coast Guard rescued 64 Cuban migrants and 100 Haitian migrants during a busy week of illegal maritime migration attempts from Cuba and Haiti into the United States.

The 64 Cuban migrants were repatriated last week following three separate interdictions at sea in the Florida Straits dating back to August 7.

On Monday, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark located a grossly overloaded Haitian sail freighter in Bahamian waters. A deployed Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos launched to assist the Clark in rescuing the distressed migrants.

Crewmembers from the Paul Clark arrived on scene and safely embarked the 100 Haitian migrants. The migrants were later transferred to Royal Bahamian Defense Force officials.

"Migrant operations are unique in that they are both a law enforcement and a safety of life at sea mission. In this case, the crew of the Paul Clark saved the lives of 100 Haitians attempting a perilous journey that could have had a tragic result,” said Cmdr. Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of enforcement for the Coast Guard 7th District.

Coast Guard assets involved in the cases were:

• The Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish, a 87-foot patrol boat, homeported in Key West, Florida.
• Coast Guard Cutter Key Biscayne, a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Key West.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in Miami.
• Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter homeported in Key West.

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.

In the fiscal year 2014, 3,095 Cuban migrants and 4,506 Haitian migrants and have been interdicted in the Coast Guard 7th District’s area of responsibility.

For breaking news, follow us on Twitter @uscgsoutheast.

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard Auxiliarist and Coast Guard Cutter Roanoke Island crewmembers rescued mariners aboard a disabled vessel 20 miles southwest of Homer Friday morning.

The Auxiliarist and two Roanoke Island crewmembers took the disabled vessel in tow with the Auxiliary vessel Quanah P and safely returned to Homer.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received the report of a disabled 23-foot pleasure craft with two people aboard late Thursday night. The watchstanders issued a marine assistance request broadcast, and contacted the Homer Auxiliary after no one responded.

The rescue crew located and rendezvoused with the disabled vessel and towed them safely back to Homer, arriving in the early morning.

"The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a vital part of our ability to assist mariners in Alaska," said Lt. j. g. Laura Gadziala, a command duty officer at Sector Anchorage. "Our partnership and joint training with the Auxiliary makes us ready to respond during cases."

Weather on scene was reported as 15 mph winds and 2-foot seas.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A man was medevaced from a vessel near Matanzas Pass in Fort Myers Beach, Florida by Coast Guard and Lee County, Florida, Emergency Medical Service crews, Friday.

At approximately 10:40 a.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, Florida, received a report from HealthPark Hospital of a man in his 50s living aboard a catamaran in Back Bay, located in Matanzas Pass, in need of medical care. 

A Station Fort Myers Beach boatcrew and a Lee County EMS crew responded aboard a Coast Guard 29-foot Response Boat-Small II and transported the man back to the Coast Guard station.

After returning to Station Fort Myers Beach, EMS transported the man to HealthPark Hospital for further care.

Coast Guard air and cutter forces continue to assist the 22-person crew of a 485-foot, Bahamian-flagged chemical tanker after a fire in the main engineroom disabled the vessel, leaving it without propulsion, about 700 miles west of Cape Blanco, Oregon, Aug. 15, 2014. The fire was extinguished using installed firefighting systems, however, the ship sustained damage to its generators, leaving the crew with minimal battery power. U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Air Station Sacramento.

SEATTLE — Coast Guard air and cutter forces continue to assist the 22-person crew of a 485-foot, Bahamian-flagged chemical tanker after a fire in the main engineroom disabled the vessel, leaving it without propulsion, about 700 miles west of Cape Blanco, Oregon, Wednesday.

The fire was extinguished using installed firefighting systems, however, the ship sustained damage to its generators, leaving the crew with minimal battery power.

A Coast Guard aircrew, aboard an HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Sacramento, California, delivered two iridium telephones and a VHF-FM radio to the ship, Thursday. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, a 418-foot National Security Cutter homeported in Alameda, California, is on scene to provide assistance, including engineering and damage control equipment.

One crewmember aboard the tanker was reported as deceased as a result of the marine casualty.

Coast Guard watchstanders at the 13^th District Rescue Coordination Center, in Seattle, used the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System to contact nearby vessels. AMVER vessels have been providing ongoing visual assessments of the vessel’s condition.

“The AMVER vessels involved were instrumental in providing check-ins with the disabled vessel and providing updates to rescue personnel about the condition of the crew and vessel’s position,” said Lt. Ryan Beck, command duty officer at the 13^th District Rescue Coordination Center. “AMVER vessels are an invaluable high-seas resource for rescue coordinators.”

The vessel’s ownership has contracted the commercial tugboat Millennium Falcon, based in Anacortes. The tugboat is expected to arrive at the tanker’s location in about three days with a damage control technical specialist.