VICKSBURG, Miss. — Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Robert Eagleton was recognized as the Coast Guard’s 45^th Master Cutterman in Vicksburg, Wednesday. 

Eagleton serves as the officer in charge of the Coast Guard Cutter Kickapoo with more than 20 years of total sea time.

Rear Adm. David R. Callahan, commander, 8^th Coast Guard District, presided over the ceremony in Vicksburg to honor Eagleton.

“This is a cutterman’s cutterman standing before you today and you don’t see to many of them today,” said Callahan. “Master Chief Eagleton is among a rare bread who are considered the backbone of the Coast Guard, which has its roots embedded in the service’s predecessor, the Revenue Cutter Service.”

Master Cutterman Eagleton joined the Coast Guard in 1989 and started his Coast Guard career as a cutterman on the Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet and served on several other Coast Guard cutters as well as serving at some shore-based units.

The Coast Guard’s Master Cutterman program was created in April 2007, to formally recognize those members who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers with more than 20 years of sea service. The first Master Cutterman certificate was presented to Chief Warrant Officer Paul Dilger at his retirement ceremony in July 2007. While many Coast Guardsmen have proudly been named as permanent cuttermen, serving more than five years afloat, only a select few have endured the rigors of sea duty for 20 years.

Bruce Gronewald paddles his yellow kayak in the vicinity of Knik Arm near Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 1, 2015. This photo was taken by Gronewald's family shortly before he went missing and was released, with their permission, by Coast Guard Sector Anchorage to assist with the search for the 55-year-old man. U.S. Coast Guard photo released by 17th District External Affairs

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard, along with Alaska State Troopers and Civil Air Patrol, continued their search for Bruce Gronewald, a 55-year-old man, reported missing in the vicinity of Knik Arm near Anchorage Wednesday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak found a canoe belonging to Gronewald while conducting a search Wednesday, but discovered no sign of the man or the yellow kayak he was last seen paddling.

Gronewald was last seen Monday night aboard a yellow kayak wearing a black jacket and blue life jacket.  His family reported he planned to paddle out to secure the canoe he had to abandon after being rescued by Anchorage Fire Department members Monday.    

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a report from Gronewald’s sister that he was overdue after failing to return from the kayaking trip. Watchstanders directed the launch of the Jayhawk helicopter crew and issued an urgent marine broadcast to mariners in the area.

"The search for Mr. Gronewald has been a concentrated team effort by the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and Civil Air Patrol,” said Lt. Bridget Fitzgibbons, Sector Anchorage Search and Rescue Mission Controller. “Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact Sector Anchorage at 907-428-4100.”

The original press release regarding this case can be found here.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard, along with Alaska State Troopers and Civil Air Patrol, are searching for a missing kayaker who was reported overdue in the vicinity of Knik Arm near Anchorage Tuesday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and Civil Air Patrol aircrews conducted four air searches along with numerous ground searches by Alaska State Troopers.

Bruce Gronewald was last seen Monday night aboard a yellow kayak wearing a black jacket and blue life jacket.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a report from Gronewald’s sister that he was overdue after he failed to return from a kayaking trip.  Watchstanders directed the launch of the Jayhawk helicopter crew and issued an urgent marine broadcast to mariners in the area.

"All search assets continue to search the area where Mr. Gronewald went missing,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Jason Yonk, Sector Anchorage command center watchstander. “Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact Sector Anchorage at 907-428-4100.”

Weather conditions in the search area was reported as 5 mph winds with 1-foot seas.

A Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, N.J., 47-foot Motor Lifeboat boat crew tows a boat Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015. The boat was taking on water with inoperable bilge pumps near the Absecon Inlet following the 2015 Atlantic City Airshow. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Nick Ameen)

Video is available on DVIDS

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The Coast Guard towed two boats to safety Wednesday at the conclusion of the Atlantic City Airshow.

Boat crews from Coast Guard Station Atlantic City used two 47-foot Motor Lifeboats to tow the boats to the vicinity of the Farley State Marina.

The first case was a disabled 16-foot pleasure craft with two men aboard. The boat was disabled near the Absecon Inlet and started drifting toward the jetty.

The second case, also near the Absecon Inlet, was a boat taking on water with inoperable bilge pumps.

“The boat crew took immediate action,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Emily Fluharty, a boat crewmember on the first case. “It set off a lot of adrenaline right away. I think we’re trained very well to handle these kinds of situations. We acted quickly, safely and efficiently and we pulled them away from the jetty without any issues.”

The Station Atlantic City boat crews spent the day enforcing a safety zone for the Atlantic City Airshow along with boat crews from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the New Jersey State Police Marine Division, the Ocean City Police Department and the Avalon Fire Department.

Boom surrounds the sunken vessel Pacific Venture near The Twins, Sitka, Alaska, Sept. 2, 2015. A unified command consisting of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Coast Guard Sector Juneau, Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Sitka, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, National Park Service and the vessel’s owner are working with Sitka City officials to clean up fuel from the vessel. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lewis Beck.

JUNEAU, Alaska —  A Unified Command has been formed to respond to a vessel sinking and resultant 10-30 gallon oil spill in Sitka, Alaska.

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Coast Guard Sector Juneau, Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Sitka, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, National Park Service and the vessel’s owner are working with Sitka City officials to clean up the spill.

The fishing vessel Pacific Venture, a 58-foot seiner, ran aground Tuesday evening and subsequently rolled over around 2 a.m. Wednesday, sinking in approximately 25 feet of water.  The incident occurred in vicinity of The Twins, roughly ½ mile off the mouth of the Indian River in Sitka. 

The vessel owner reports 600 gallons of diesel fuel and 70 gallons of hydraulic and lube oils were on board.  Approximately 10-30 gallons of oil were released into the water.

Southeast Alaska Petroleum Response Organization (SEAPRO) and local responders began deploying boom around the vessel at noon Wednesday.  Boom deployment was complete by 3 p.m.  The Pacific Venture is currently secured to shore by a line to keep it from drifting.  Salvage operations are pending.  No injuries have been reported, and to date there have been no confirmed reports of impacts to wildlife.

“Responders are working diligently to minimize the impact on the environment and the community,” said Bob Mattson, State On Scene Coordinator. “Federal, state and local partners continue to work alongside one another for an effective response.”

The cause of the grounding is currently under investigation.

Weather on scene is generally sunny, northwest wind of 8-13 knots, seas 1 foot.

For more information contact:

U.S. Coast Guard
Lieutenant Jennifer Ferreira
907-463-2835

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Candice Bressler
907-465-5009

City of Sitka
Sara Peterson
907-747-1811

BOSTON — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead and a 45-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Castle Hill, R.I. rescued three people aboard a disabled boat 45 miles southeast of Block Island, R.I.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England Command Center, in Woods Hole, received a call via VHF-16 radio from the captain of the vessel Blitzen Wednesday at approximately 4:15 p.m. stating the vessel was having engine problems, and they were disabled and adrift.

Search and rescue coordinators at Sector Southeastern New England command center issued a marine assistance request broadcast soliciting assistance for Blitzen from a good Samaritan or a commercial salvage company. After the request went unanswered the command center diverted the crew of the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead to assist.

At approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead took the Blitzen in tow.

The crew of the Hammerhead is scheduled to pass the tow to a 45-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Castle Hill early Thursday morning. If commercial salvage is still unavailable, the crew of the 45-foot Motor Life Boat is expected to bring the Blitzen to Conanicut Marina in Jamestown, R.I. 

“The Blitzen crew hailed us on Channel 16,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Brian Richardson, a watchstander at Sector Southeastern New England. “A working VHF radio was the key to finding them quickly and communicating the towing plan for a safe journey back to Jamestown." 

Sector Southeastern New England's area of responsibility is from Manomet Point in Massachusetts to Watch Hill Point in Rhode Island.

PADUCAH, Ky. – The Coast Guard is responding to a towboat collision on the Mississippi River near Paducah, Ky.,Wednesday.

The collision caused damage to a barge containing clarified slurry oil, reportedly discharging an unknown amount. 

The barge reportedly has a maximum potential of 1.05 million gallons of clarified slurry oil. The Coast Guard is working with the barge owner and SWS, an oil spill response organization, to determine the amount of slurry oil that has been discharged.

Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a call about a collision between two towboats at mile marker 937 at 8:22 p.m. local time.

 The incident is under investigation.

PADUCAH, Ky. – An Incident Command Post has been established in response to a tow boat collision on the Mississippi River near Paducah Thursday. 

Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a call about a collision between two towboats at mile marker 937 at 8:22 p.m. Wednesday. 

The collision caused damage to at least one barge containing clarified slurry oil, rupturing the cargo tank and discharging an unknown amount of oil into the Mississippi River.

The barge reportedly has a maximum potential of 1.05 million gallons of clarified slurry oil. The Coast Guard is working with the barge owner and SWS, an oil spill response organization, to determine the amount of slurry oil that has been discharged.

The Mississippi River has been closed to all traffic from Mile Marker 938 to 922, with the exception of authorized vessels working the incident.

The cause of the collision is currently under investigation.

CLEVELAND – A helicopter crew from Air Station Traverse City, Michigan, hoisted a man experiencing chest pains from tug Joyce L. Vanenkevort, Thursday morning.

A Coast Guard flight surgeon said the symptoms appeared to be that of a heart attack and recommended the man be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.

The tug altered course to facilitate the evacuation due to heavy storms in the area and rendezvoused with the Coast Guard helicopter crew once conditions allowed. The helicopter crew hoisted the man from the tug and departed for Sturgeon Bay Airport.

Weather conditions diverted the helicopter crew from its original destination but the crew safely arrived at Ephraim-Fish Creek Airport in Ephraim, Wisconsin, where emergency medical crews were waiting.

The Coast Guard was notified via VHF-FM marine radio. The man’s current condition is unknown.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing kayaker in the vicinity of Knik Arm near Anchorage, Wednesday.

Response crews covered more than 850 square miles during the search for Bruce Gronewald, after receiving a report from concerned family members Tuesday morning when he failed to return from a kayak outing.

Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews, Civil Air Patrol and Alaska State Trooper aircrews conducted 10 air searches and multiple ground searches..

Gronewald was last seen Monday night aboard a yellow kayak wearing a black jacket and blue life jacket.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. Gronewald. The men and women of the Coast Guard are deeply committed to the preservation of life at sea. It is always a bitter disappointment to us when we cannot bring someone home safely. Their loss is our loss." said Lt. Bridget Fitzgibbons, Sector Anchorage Search and Rescue Mission Controller.

NEW ORLEANS — A Coast Guard member was found guilty of violating a lawful order during a court-martial at the Hale Boggs Federal Building Wednesday.

A military judge found Petty Officer 2^nd Class Gregory E. Cooper guilty of one specification of Article 92 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  The military judge found Cooper not guilty of several other charges including: dereliction of duty, making a false official statement, aggravated sexual assault, abusive sexual contact, indecent conduct, and adultery.

Cooper has been reduced in rank to E-4.

The 8th Coast Guard District Commander referred Cooper’s case to a general court-martial on April 7 following an Article 32 hearing completed January 16, which determined there was sufficient evidence to move the case forward to court- martial.

Cooper was assigned to Aids to Navigation Team Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington, and Coast Guard Cutter Sturgeon in Grand Isle, Louisiana, when the alleged misconduct occurred. He is currently administratively assigned to the 8th District staff.

Petty Officer 1st Class William Mudloff (right) and Petty Officer 2nd Class Alan Freedman (left) congratulate each other after being advanced outside Point Judith Lighthouse in Narragansett, R.I., Sept. 2, 2015. Both Petty Officers are stationed at Point Judith. Below, their new insignia for Coast Guard covers lay pinned on a work bench after the ceremony. U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ross Ruddell.

PADUCAH, Ky. - On-scene assessment teams have reported the maximum estimated potential clarified slurry oil released from the tug collision is now 250,000 gallons, Thursday.

The maximum potential spill has been reduced because the two remaining partitions aboard the affected barge were reportedly secured.
A Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed wing aircraft conducted an over flight earlier today, which revealed a five-mile discoloration beginning at the impact site.

A safety zone is in place on the Mississippi River, and currently closed to all traffic except response vessels between mile markers 939-922. A queue is in place, six up bound and nine down bound.

Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a call about a collision between two towboats at mile marker 937 at 8:22 p.m. Wednesday.

The Coast Guard is working with the barge owner and SWS, an oil spill response organization, to determine the amount of slurry oil that has been discharged.

The cause of the collision is currently under investigation.

BOSTON – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station South Portland, Maine, rescued four people Thursday who were aboard a disabled fishing vessel 50 miles east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The captain of the 45-foot fishing vessel Danny Boy, homeported out of Portland, Maine, used a VHF-16 radio to contact watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England Command Center Thursday at about 1:15 a.m. reporting Danny Boy was disabled, possibly due to a lack of fuel.

Search and rescue coordinators at Sector Northern New England command center issued a marine assistance request broadcast soliciting assistance for Danny Boy from good Samaritans or a commercial salvage company. After the request went unanswered, the command center diverted the crew of the Escanaba, a 270-foot cutter homeported in Boston, to assist.

At approximately 6 a.m. the crew of the Escanaba transferred fuel to the Danny Boy in an effort to restart the Danny Boy’s engine. After receiving the fuel, the crew of the Danny Boy was still unable restart their engine.

Following the transfer of fuel the crew of the Escanaba took the Danny Boy in tow at approximately 8:30 a.m. The crew of the Escanaba passed  the tow to a 47- foot MLB crew from Station South Portland at approximately 12:30 p.m .

The MLB crew is expected to bring Danny Boy safely to the Portland fishing pier. 

“Despite the crew of the Danny Boy’s best attempt at fixing their vessel, they ultimately had to rely on the Coast Guard for a tow,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Kurt Hein, an operations specialist at Sector Northern New England's command center. “Luckily the vessel was prepared with adequate marine radios and was able to communicate with the Coast Guard."

Sector Northern New England's area of responsibility covers Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northeastern New York and spans over 5, 000 miles of coastline and 11,000 square nautical miles of water.

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is seeking public comment on a request proposed for the construction of a bridge in Island County, on Whidbey Island.

The comment period ends Sept. 24, 2015.

The complete public notice including a brief summary of project impacts, a map of the location, and plans for the proposed bridge modification can be viewed and printed from http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=pnBridges&Active=1&region=13

Please submit comments to:

Commander (dpw), Thirteenth Coast Guard District
Bridge Administrator, Rm 3510,
915 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174-1067
D13-PF-D13BRIDGES@uscg.mil.

For more information, please contact Steven Fischer, bridge administrator at 206-220-7282, steven.m.fischer3@uscg.mil, or by mail at the above address.

WARRENTON, Ore. — A Coast Guard helicopter crew medevaced a Frenchman reportedly suffering from a heart attack aboard a vessel 80 miles west of Coos Bay, Thursday.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend safely transferred the 55-year-old man to emergency medical personnel at 6:33 a.m., who transported him to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay.

Coast Guard 13th District command center watchstanders in Seattle received a notification from Rescue Coordination Center France personnel that a crew member on the 469-foot, French-flagged, cable-laying vessel Rene Descartes was experiencing symptoms of a  heart attack.

“This case highlights our well-developed multi-national coordination capabilities,” said Cmdr. Robert Workman, response officer for Sector North Bend, who piloted the helicopter during the rescue. “Our duty to the maritime community transcends nationalities and borders as we train daily and continue to build our local and global agency partnerships.”

NEW YORK – Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received notification of a downed Coast Guard Auxiliary aircraft in Cresskill, New Jersey, Thursday.

Two Auxiliary crewmembers on a routine patrol on the Hudson River made an emergency crash landing in a field in Cresskill. 

At 4:31 p.m. the Auxiliary crew checked in with Coast Guard watchstanders reporting their operations as normal and passed their current position over the Hudson River.

At 4:48 watchstanders received notification from a Coast Guard Auxiliarist who was not aboard the aircraft reporting the flight had gone down and medical crews were on scene.

The two Auxiliarist involved in the crash were transported by medical personnel to Hackensack Hospital in Hackensack, New Jersey. Their medical condition is unknown at this time.

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that exists to support Coast Guard missions. Coast Guard Auxiliary units, or flotillas, promote safety for recreational boaters throughout the year through community outreach.

For further information regarding the Coast Guard Auxiliary, please visit: http://www.cgaux.org.

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard urges Alaska boaters to use extra caution and to ensure they have the safety equipment they need while out on the water this Labor Day weekend.

For high resolution imagery, click on the thumbnails above. 

HONOLULU — Coast Guard crews, working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration transported two rehabilitated Hawaiian monk seals from the Big Island to Oahu, Thursday for future release back to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. 

The HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, received the seals at Kona International Airport, Kailua-Kona, Thursday morning.

"We sincerely appreciate the assistance the Coast Guard provides,” said David Schofield, NOAA Marine Mammal Health and Response Program Manager. "There are only 1,100 Hawaiian Monk Seals left so this helps with their recovery tremendously."

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. Part of the true seal family, they are one of only two remaining monk seal species.

Safeguarding marine mammals falls under the Coast Guard’s living marine resources mission, one of the service's 11 statutory missions. The nation’s waterways and their ecosystems are vital to the country’s economy and health. This includes ensuring the country’s marine protected species are provided the protection necessary to help their populations recover to healthy, sustainable levels.

The Coast Guard partners with NOAA on many living marine resources missions in Hawaii to protect endangered marine mammals including humpback whales. Operation Kohola Guardian involves coordinated joint Coast Guard, NOAA and State of Hawaii patrols of the National Marine Sanctuary during the peak Humpback Whale season months of January through March.

The 14th Coast Guard District is home to four Marine National Monuments and two National Marine Sanctuaries, more than any other region in the United States.

For more information on the Coast Guard's many ongoing missions protecting Hawaii's marine resources throughout the year contact the 14th District's Public Affairs Office at 808-535-3230.