CLEVELAND — Coast Guard crews from Lake Erie units rescued and assisted several boaters during three search-and-rescue cases Thursday morning.

The names and hometowns of the rescued are not being released, and there is no Coast Guard imagery available.

At 12:20 a.m. Thursday, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y., received a mayday call over VH-FM marine radio but did not receive any responses to calls for more information. The controller also received notification of two flares seen near Cleveland Harbor.  The SAR controller began issuing urgent marine information broadcasts over marine radio, asking all boaters in the area to keep a lookout for anyone in distress.

A rescue boatcrew launched from Coast Guard Cleveland Harbor, in Cleveland, aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium.  The SAR controller was contacted by a member of Cleveland Marine Towing, Inc., who stated they were en route to assist a disabled vessel with six people aboard in Cleveland Harbor. It was determined they were the same boaters who made the mayday call and launched the flares. The vessel was disabled but not in distress and was towed to safety by the Cleveland Marine Towing crew.

“The Coast Guard determined the boaters did not respond to their callbacks on marine radio channel 16, the international hailing and distress frequency, because the boaters were switching channels and making further distress calls,” said Capt. Andrew Sugimoto, 9^th Coast Guard District chief of response. “It is important that mariners take advantage of boating safety training and learn how to use their equipment.”

During outreach in support of National Safe Boating Week, held May 18-24, the Coast Guard promoted boater education and required and recommended safety equipment. Click here to search public education classes in your area, put on by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

At 12:30 a.m., Thursday morning, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received a report of an overdue vessel from the parents of a 15-year-old girl who was boating with a 56-year-old man in Lake Erie near Sheffield, Ohio. The girl’s parents reported that she called them and said the man was disoriented, did not know their location, and was under the influence of alcohol.

A rescue boatcrew launched from Coast Guard Station Lorain, Ohio, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small. The RB-S crew located the vessel outside of Lorain Harbor and towed it to the Hot Waters Marina in Lorain, where the girl was turned over to her parents. The Coast Guard boarding officer issued the boater a citation for gross negligence and boating under the influence after he was administered a breath analysis test and had a blood alcohol content of .153. The legal limit for boating in Ohio waters is .08.

During National Safe Boating Week, the Coast Guard warned the public of the dangers of drinking and boating and also asked boaters to be vigilant and report any behavior that could impact public safety or security on our nation's waterways.

“The Coast Guard depends on boaters to report any potential threats to public safety or property,” said Sugimoto. “Anyone who witnesses any safety or security concerns should reach out to the Coast Guard or call 911.”

At 8 a.m., Thursday morning, a search-and-rescue controller at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received a report of a man in the water in Cleveland Harbor. A rescue boatcrew launched from Station Cleveland Harbor, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small and rescued the man. He reported he fell off of a ladder attached to a pier in the East 55^th Street Marina in Cleveland Harbor. The man was taken by emergency medical services to Metro Hospital in Cleveland.

The Coast Guard reminds people to practice caution when recreating near the water, something else we stressed during National Safe Boating Week.

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard and Texas City Police Department are searching for a 25-year-old man who was overtaken by a large wave while fishing in the vicinity of Mosquito Island, off the Texas City Dike, today.  

Missing is Julio Torres.

Torres and three other men were wade fishing when they were overtaken by a wave this morning. The men reportedly saw Torres after the first wave, but lost him as subsequent waves came.  One of the men called 911 at 10:05 a.m. and reported the incident and that Torres had not resurfaced.

“We were notified within 10 minutes of the 911 relay call and immediately diverted our assets that were out in the area to start searching,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Steven Smith, a watchstander with Sector Houston/Galveston. “I would highly recommend anyone entering the water to check the tide and current conditions prior to entering. The best defense in staying safe is knowing the dangers and hazards of the area.”

Initial responders included the Texas City Police Marine Division by personal watercraft, a fire rescue boat and Coast Guard crewmembers aboard an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and two 25-foot Response Boat — Smalls, one from Station Galveston and the other from Maritime Safety and Security Team Galveston.

Responders are continuing to search for the missing man.

For more information on water safety, check out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's site on rip currents at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard Thursday released the final report on the investigation of the parasailing accident involving the small passenger vessel Tied High off the coast of Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., in 2009.

Several factors contributed to the deaths of two people killed August 28, 2009, while parasailing with the vessel, the report said.

The investigation found the initiating event for this casualty was the failure of the winch to retrieve the passengers in flight during the storm and high winds that occurred that day. Weather in this case had a constant negative impact during this casualty, along with three primary causal factors involving human error on the part of the company owner and vessel master, four primary causal factors involving equipment and two primary causal factors involving safety standards.

The report also states there is substantial evidence that the company owner and master of the Tied High, through their actions or inactions, committed acts of negligence and/or misconduct that contributed to the cause of this casualty and the death of two passengers. There is no evidence that the use of dangerous drugs or alcohol contributed to this casualty. Also, the investigation did not identify any inconsistencies with regards to the vessel's Coast Guard inspection. It was determined the vessel was in substantial compliance with 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subchapter T on the day of the casualty.

More than a dozen recommendations are made in the report, including that the Coast Guard work with parasailing organizations to establish industry standards; that commercial parasail operators be required to monitor marine broadcasts prior to conducting and while engaged in parasailing; and that parasail vessels be required to provide a comprehensive passenger safety briefing prior to departure to include a discussion of the inherent risks of parasailing.

As recommended in the report, the commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District forwarded the case to the U.S. Attorney General for review for possible criminal liability of the company owner and master of the vessel Tied High under 18 U.S.C. § 1115, 46 U.S.C. § 2302(a), and other laws, as per 46 Code of Federal Regulations § 4.23-1. The vessel master pled guilty to a violation of the Seaman's Manslaughter Act November 14, 2012.

The Coast Guard fully supports development of a nationally-recognized safety standard for parasail operations. In January 2012, the Coast Guard approached the American Society for Testing and Materials and the parasail industry to encourage the development of ASTM voluntary consensus standards. Also, the Coast Guard formed an internal working group to more closely explore legislative, regulatory and policy options in a continued effort to promote safety throughout the parasail fleet.

The investigation report can be found at http://marineinvestigations.us, under Marine Casualty Reports.

The Coast Guard repatriated 13 migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Wednesday. 

Coast Guard Sector Key West command center watchstanders received a report of suspected migrants aboard an unseaworthy vessel May 23, 2013. Watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant, whose crew arrived on scene and embarked 13 Cuban migrants. The migrants were later transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island for repatriation.

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

The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter, homeported in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island is a 110-foot patrol boat, homeported in Key West, Fla.

Kodiak Island and other Island-class patrol boats are being replaced by 58 new, Sentinel-class fast response cutters. The FRC is be capable of speeds in excess of 28 knots and can operate in seas up to 18-feet. The speed and stability of the FRC delivers tremendous lifesaving, law enforcement and homeland security capabilities in the same package.

For more information on how to legally immigrate to the U.S., call U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at 1-800-375-5283 or visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard, in partnership with the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, Oregon Crab Commission, Oregon Sea Grant and Englund Marine, will offer a two-day commercial fishing drill conductor course at Englund Marine in Astoria, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 4-5, 2013, from 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The course will include activities and information relating to personal safety gear, safety regulations, on board drills, dewatering pumps, rescue preparation, cold water survival, hypothermia, patching and plugging, marine fire fighting, vessel stability, immersion suits, inflatable life rafts, signal flares and EPIRBs.

Pre-registration is required and slots are limited. To register, call (503) 240-9337 or (503) 240-9373.

Participants are asked to bring rain gear, a change of clothes, a towel and an immersion suit if possible. Extra suits are available.

WHO: Coast Guard, AMSEA, Oregon Crab Commission, Oregon Sea Grant, Englund Marine

WHAT: Commercial fishing, drill conductor, marine safety and survival training course

WHERE: Englund Marine, 95 Hamburg Ave., Astoria, OR 97103

WHY: to educate mariners about marine safety and survival

WHEN: 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, June 4 – Wednesday, June 5, 2013

LOS ANGELES – A Coast Guard helicopter crew recued a woman stranded on Catalina Island at 1:30pm, May 30, 2013.

Search and rescue watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, located in San Pedro, Calif., received a radio transmission at around 11:00am from a woman stating she needed help.  The Coast Guard watchstanders made radio call-outs to her, but she did not respond. 

A 45-foot response boat medium crew from Station Los Angeles-Long Beach and a helicopter from Air Station Los Angeles were dispatched. Search and rescue watchstanders directed the rescue helicopter to the south side of Catalina Island, where she was found at Ben Weston Point, and hoisted into the helicopter.

“The surf was pretty rough and she was on the beach.  It quickly became apparent that hoisting her was the only option.  No one would be able to reach her from land or a surface boat," said Lt. j.g. Darin Coleman, a Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles pilot.

The woman reported the boat she was on became disabled, so she paddled to shore on a surfboard with a hand held radio in an attempt to get better reception to call for help. The remaining two individuals on the boat were able to affect repairs and made it safely back to a harbor on the island.

For additional information contact the Coast Guard public affairs office at (310) 521-4267.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Thursday the Coast Guard and partner agencies located the man that fell off the Port Street fishing pier in Port Aransas.

The preliminary investigation is consistent with an accidental drowning, but the official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Nueces County Medical Examiner’s office.

Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi along with the Corpus Christi Police Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Port Aransas Emergency Medical Services and Port Aransas Police Department partnered together in the search for the man. The Corpus Christi Police Department’s dive team recovered the body at approximately 4:30 p.m., located in close proximity of the pier.

“Unfortunately, we are continuously reminded of the dangers of the water and how careful we must be when around piers, on boats or even at the beach,” said Cmdr. Daniel J. Deptula, a response officer at Sector Corpus Christi. “Be alert and stay safe.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

For additional information, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Evans at (361) 438-0176.

JUNEAU, Alaska—A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew rescued a stranded mariner from the shore of St. James Bay, near Juneau Friday.

The aircrew located the man on a beach, after finding his 10-foot skiff adrift, and transported him to the people that reported him missing at a nearby cabin.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders were initially notified by the crew of a 21-foot vessel that the missing man did not return from checking crab pots in the skiff. Watchstanders immediately directed the launch of a Station Juneau 25-foot Response Boat-small crew, who searched the shore for three hours without finding the man.

At first light, the Air Station Sitka helicopter crew began a search and found the man stranded on a beach. The man’s skiff reportedly floated away overnight while he waited for sunrise.

The helicopter crew returned the uninjured man to his friends at a cabin on St. James Bay.

“The owner of the skiff was prepared with a life jacket and let someone know where he was going, but sometimes things just go wrong,” said Vince Grochowski, a watchstander at Sector Juneau. “Our response personnel train constantly to be prepared when someone finds themselves in trouble in the enormous Alaska wilderness.”

The skiff was recovered by its owner.

For more information contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Grant DeVuyst at 907-321-1866.

SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to host two public meetings seeking input from the public regarding impacts to navigation as a result of the proposed project that includes construction of a new fixed bridge across the Columbia River between Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore., that will replace the existing I-5 Bridge.   

WHO: Coast Guard Representatives.

WHAT: Two public meetings seeking input regarding impacts to navigation as a result of the proposed project that includes construction of a new fixed bridge across the Columbia River between Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore., that will replace the existing I-5 Bridge. Coast Guard personnel will also accept written comments and related materials at these meetings, which will be posted on the federal docket. The notice of public meetings and request for comments can be found at www.regulations.gov, docket number USCG-2013-0286.

WHEN: Tuesday, 5 to 8 p.m., doors open at 4:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, 5 to 8 p.m., doors open at 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Tuesday, Red Lion Hotel on the River, 909 N Hayden Island Drive, Portland, Ore.; and Wednesday, Hilton Vancouver, 301 West 6^th St., Vancouver, Wash.

Attendees who request an opportunity to present oral comments at the public meeting must sign up to speak at the meeting site. Speaker registration will begin at 4:30 p.m. Speakers will be called in the order of receipt of the request, as time permits. It is requested that speakers make presentations at only one event to avoid duplication of comments for the record. All oral presentations will be limited to three minutes. Views of committees or organizations should be presented by a single spokesperson.

Click here for additional information about other ways to submit comments. 

The Coast Guard Navigation Center webpage has information and diagrams about the bridge plans, impacts to the turning basin and realignment of the navigation channels. 

Media interested in attending the meeting should RSVP by contacting the 13^th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (206) 220-7237, prior to Monday at 4 p.m. Media should arrive at either location by 4:30 p.m.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard medevaced a man and two others were declared deceased Friday after a boat reportedly ran aground on the Yeopim River near Elizabeth City, N.C.

Washington County 911 dispatchers contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 1:45 p.m. reporting a boating accident with three people aboard.

Sector North Carolina watchstanders dispatched crews aboard a 25-foot Response Boat - Small, a 24-foot Special Purpose Craft - Shallow Water from Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City to assist. Harvey Point Rescue boatcrew also responded.

Personnel form Harvey Point Rescue arrive on scene and assisted an injured man from shore, where he was hoisted into the Jayhawk helicopter and flown to the Albermarle Hospital in Elizabeth City.

Coast Guard Group Humboldt Bay, the Coast Guard command responsible for operations from the California-Oregon border south to the Mendocino-Sonoma county line, was renamed Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay during a May 31 ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay)

 

MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. -- Coast Guard Group Humboldt Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard command responsible for operations from the California-Oregon border south to the Mendocino-Sonoma county line, will be renamed Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay effective May 31, 2013.

Group Humboldt Bay is changing its name as a result of a service-wide standardization initiative, but the switch will not impact any services provided to the public.

"There will be no changes to operations or services provided to the public," said Capt. Salvatore Palmeri, Commander of Group Humboldt Bay. "The only difference the public may notice is how we identify ourselves on marine radio broadcasts, how we answer the phone, and the name change on our new unit welcome sign.

The command is responsible for coastal and offshore search and rescue, law enforcement and emergency response operations in the region and also assists state and local agencies with inland emergency response operations.  The Sector will continue to operate its main headquarters in McKinleyville, which includes a command center and three search and rescue helicopters.  Coastal search and rescue small boat stations will remain in Eureka and Fort Bragg, along with an aids-to-navigation team in Samoa, two coastal patrol boats -- one in Eureka and one in Crescent City -- and several civilian volunteer groups, namely Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas.  In 2012, Coast Guard units based in the Humboldt Bay area responded to 264 search and rescue cases, saved 26 lives and assisted local officials with eight inland rescues.

Certain Coast Guard matters occurring in the Sector Humboldt Bay area such as commercial vessel and facility inspections, and accident and pollution investigations, fall under Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) authorities which will continue to be overseen by Coast Guard Sector San Francisco and its Marine Safety Detachment in Eureka.

For more information please contact Lt. Thomas Jones: (707) 839-6122.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard medevaced a man and two others were declared deceased Friday after a boat reportedly ran aground on the Yeopim River near Elizabeth City, N.C.

Washington County 911 dispatchers contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 1:45 p.m. reporting a boating accident with three people aboard.

Sector North Carolina watchstanders dispatched crews aboard a 25-foot Response Boat - Small, a 24-foot Special Purpose Craft - Shallow Water from Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City to assist. Harvey Point Rescue boatcrew also responded.

Personnel form Harvey Point Rescue arrived on scene and assisted an injured man to shore, where he was taken into the Jayhawk helicopter and flown to the Albermarle Hospital in Elizabeth City.

It was previously reported that the man was hoisted into the Jayhawk. The helicopter landed nearby and the man was taken into the helicopter.

CLEVELAND — Coast Guard boatcrews rescued six boaters and assisted three during two separate boat fires Friday night.

The names and hometowns of those assisted and rescued are not being released, and there is no Coast Guard imagery available.

At 7:57 p.m., the watchstander at Coast Guard Station St. Clair Shores, Mich., received a report of a vessel on fire with three people aboard near Jefferson Beach Marina in St. Clair Shores.

A Station St. Clair Shores boatcrew responded aboard a 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water.

By the time the boatcrew arrived on scene, the engine fire had already been extinguished. The boatcrew placed the vessel in side-tow and transported it to the Jefferson Beach Marina.

There are no reports of injuries or pollution.

At 10:53 p.m. the watchstander at Station St. Clair Shores received a report of a boat fire with six people aboard near Miller Marina, right outside of the station.

A boatcrew from the station responded aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small and safely removed all six people from the vessel and took them to the station. The St. Clair Fire Department arrived on scene while the rescue boatcrew was removing the individuals and extinguished the fire.

There are no reports of injuries.

The Coast Guard Sector Detroit duty pollution investigator reported to the scene and found no signs of pollution.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters of the importance of having proper safety equipment onboard your vessel, such as fire extinguishers. Inspect your vessel's engine compartment and other machinery spaces before getting underway to ensure they are clean and free of debris, and check on them regularly.

The Coast Guard also reminds mariners to have their vessel inspected by a competent authority, such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, before getting underway for the first time.

Click here to learn more about free vessel safety inspections.

CLEVELAND — A Coast Guard law enforcement team issued a boating-under-the-influence ticket late Friday following a boarding when the vessel operator was found to be intoxicated.

The Coast Guard is not releasing the name of the individual who was issued a ticket.

At 9:21 p.m., a Coast Guard law enforcement team from Station Marblehead, Ohio, aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small, boarded a 29-foot pleasure craft with with six people aboard.

During the boarding, the operator appeared to be intoxicated. The boarding officer conducted five afloat field sobriety tests, which the boat operator failed. The boat operator was then administered a breath analysis test and had a blood alcohol content of 0.119. The legal limit while boating on Ohio state waters is .08.

The vessel was turned over to a sober person aboard. A Coast Guard-4100 report was issued to the operator for BUI and for expired registration.

The Coast Guard reminds mariners that it is illegal to operate a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol affects judgment, vision, balance and coordination. These impairments increase the likelihood of accidents afloat, for both passengers and boat operators. Coast Guard data shows that, in boating deaths involving alcohol use, more than half the victims either capsized their boat or fell overboard.

When mariners boat under the influence, it puts all those around them at significant risk. The Coast Guard wants mariners to enjoy our nation's waterways but to do it safely and responsibly.

The Coast Guard and every state have stringent penalties for boaters violating BUI laws.  The federal statute can be found in Title 46, U.S. Code, Section 2302.  Penalties can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges, and jail terms. 

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard rescued three people aboard a vessel that was taking on water in the Black River near Sackets Harbor, N.Y., and issued the operator a boating-under-the-influence ticket.

The names of the individual ticketed and the individuals rescued are not being released.

At 9:42 p.m., the watchstander from Coast Guard Station Sackets Harbor received notification from the Jefferson County Central Dispatch that a 16-foot vessel was taking on water near the Dexter Dam on the Black River.

A boatcrew from Station Sackets Harbor was dispatched aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small.

A Jefferson County Special Tactics and Response Team boat was dispatched as well.

The STAR boatcrew located the vessel, disabled, near rocks at the base of the dam, but not taking on water. The STAR boatcrew took the vessel in tow, but shortly after lost steering and were forced to break the tow.

The Coast Guard boatcrew arrived on scene shortly after and towed the STAR boat to shore, due to dangerous currents in the river, while the disabled vessel remained safely anchored near the dam.

Upon return to the disabled 16-foot vessel, the RB-S boatcrew found it had broken loose and was drifting. The boatcrew took the disabled vessel in tow and took it to Dexter boat ramp nearby.

While the Coast Guard boatcrew was conducting a post-rescue boarding, the boarding officer noticed that the operator appeared to be intoxicated.

The New York State Police, who were present on shore during the rescue, agreed to complete shore-side field sobriety tests with the Coast Guard boarding officer’s assistance.

When asked to run through FSTs, the vessel operator became uncooperative and verbally abusive toward both the Coast Guard boarding officer and the NYSP officer.

During the FSTs, the vessel operator became combative and had to be restrained by the NYSP officer.

The NYSP officer administered a breath analysis test, which indicated a .221 blood alcohol content. The BAC legal limit while boating in New York waters is .08.

The vessel operator was arrested by the NYSP and charged with disorderly conduct and boating-under-the-influence.

The Coast Guard also issued the operator a Coast Guard-4100 report for BUI.

"Boating under the influence puts everyone, including the rescuers, on the water in danger, especially in a navigationally challenging waterway like the Black River," said Chief Petty Officer Josh Martin, the officer-in-charge and boarding officer at Station Sackets Harbor. "Alcohol impairment increases the likelihood of accidents afloat — for both passengers and boat operators.

The Coast Guard reminds mariners that boating and alcohol do not mix. Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is just as dangerous on water as it is on land. However, in the maritime environment – motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind and spray – accelerates a drinker’s impairment. All of these factors combined cause a boat operator’s coordination, judgment and reaction time decline even faster when using alcohol.

There were no injuries or reports of pollution.

Click here to learn more about the dangers of boating under the influence.

SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard, Washington State Department of Ecology and Gig Harbor Fire Department are responding Saturday to a diesel fuel spill in Gig Harbor, Wash.

The owner of a pleasure craft spilled approximately 100 gallons of diesel into the harbor earlier this morning. According to reports, the vessel's owner intended to fill the boat's water tank, however, water was inadvertently added to the fuel tank resulting in diesel fuel overflowing into the harbor.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Mariners are encouraged to report any type of oil, fuel or chemical spill sightings to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802

Rear Adm. Keith Taylor, commander of the 13th Coast Guard District, commemorates the Alki Point Lighthouse in West Seattle during a ceremony to celebrate its 100th anniversary June 1, 2013. While Alki Point was originally established to mark its hazardous shoal's and to light entrance to Elliot Bay, the Alki Point Lighthouse was constructed June 1, 1913, and continues to be a historic landmark of West Seattle. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jordan Akiyama)

SEATTLE — The 13th Coast Guard District and Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the Alki Point Lighthouse in West Seattle, Saturday.

“Since 1856, when the U.S. Light House Service lighted Cape Disappointment, the Coast Guard has been a part of the rich history of the Pacific Northwest,” said Rear Adm. Keith Taylor, commander of the 13th Coast Guard District. “The Alki centennial not only represents our rich heritage, but also the future, and how committed we are to the Pacific Northwest and the Seattle community.”

In 1887, the United States Lighthouse Service installed a post lantern on Alki Point as an aid to navigation, and purchased the current property where the lighthouse sits in 1910. The Alki Lighthouse was completed in April 1913 and opened for public tours on June 1, 1913. At that time, two lighthouse keepers were required to keep the light operational. They alternated 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week.

The Lighthouse Service merged with the Coast Guard in 1939 and assumed operation and maintenance of all United States lighthouses and lightships. The last civilian lighthouse keeper, Albert G. Anderson, retired in 1970, and Coast Guardsmen began standing watch 24 hours a day. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1984. 

Today, the Alki Point Lighthouse continues to light the entrance to Elliot Bay and remains a historic landmark. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers weekend tours to the public from the months of June till August from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.

For more information about the Alki Point Lighthouse tours, please send request to AlkiPoint_Lighthouse@msn.com.

Members of the 13th Coast Guard District and the Coast Guard Auxiliary gathered in West Seattle to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Alki Point Lighthouse, June 1, 2013. While legend says a farmer named Hans Martin Hanson hung the first lantern along Alki Point in the 1870s, it is the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary who keep the light shining for wayward mariners today. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jordan Akiyama)

MIAMI — The Seventh Coast Guard District has received reports of two missing swimmers so far this weekend and urges everyone to take necessary safety precautions before and while swimming.

Click here to read an informative blog post about rip currents, including how to escape one or help someone caught in one.

Drowning is the fifth leading cause of accidental death in the United States. On average, 10 people die from unintentional drowning every day. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger.

In an effort to save lives, the Coast Guard recommends the following for all swimmers:

• Swim near a lifeguard. U.S. Lifesaving Association statistics, during a 10-year period, show that the chance of drowning at a beach without lifeguard protection is almost five times greater than drowning at a beach with lifeguards.
• Never swim alone. Many drownings involve single swimmers. Learn water rescue techniques you can use if someone you are swimming with is in danger.
• Don’t fight the current. If caught in a rip current, don’t fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will bring a swimmer to safety.
• Swim sober. Alcohol is a major factor in drowning. Alcohol can reduce body temperature and impair swimming ability. Both alcohol and drugs impair good judgment, which may cause people to take risks they would not otherwise take.
• Don’t float where you can’t swim. Non-swimmers and weak swimmers often use flotation devices, such as inflatable rafts, to go offshore. If they fall off, they can quickly drown. No one should use a flotation device unless they are able to swim. Weak swimmers should also consider wearing an inherently buoyant Coast Guard-approved Type I, II or III life jacket.
• Prepare for the unexpected. Wear a life jacket while participating in any activity during which you would unexpectedly enter the water, such as fishing from breakwalls or piers.
• Avoid unnecessary risks. Walking along breakwalls is risky because it only takes a momentary loss of footing to invite tragedy. Jumping from breakwalls, waterside structures or into unfamiliar water is extremely dangerous since unseen underwater hazards may exist.

Additional water safety tips are available on the U.S. Lifesaving Association website.

VALDEZ, Alaska—The Coast Guard is monitoring the cargo ship BBC Arizona at the Valdez Container Terminal following a fire involving oil leaking from the ship’s containers Friday.

The ship’s crew notified first responders and successfully put out the fire. Valdez Fire Department personnel responded and determined the cause of the fire was due to ignition of oil leaking from several of the ship’s containers during hot work operations.

The Coast Guard received notification of the fire aboard the 454-foot cargo ship BBC Arizona, moored alongside the Valdez Container Terminal in Port Valdez, at approximately 11:45 a.m. Friday.

MSU Valdez personnel responded to the scene approximately 15 minutes later, noting that multiple containers aboard the BBC Arizona were leaking what appeared to be transformer oil. All leaking oil was contained on the deck of the ship and reportedly does not pose explosive or inhalation hazards.

Cmdr. Benjamin Hawkins, Captain of the Port, Prince William Sound, issued a Captain of the Port Order, directing the BBC Arizona to remain at the terminal and cease cargo transfer operations until the oil and its properties could be positively identified, all spilled product cleaned, and the ship decontaminated.

"The Coast Guard's number one priority is the safety of incident responders and the BBC Arizona's crew," said Hawkins. "We will make sure that the vessel's condition poses no danger to the crew or the Alaskan maritime environment before it leaves Port Valdez."

The ship’s owner contracted the oil spill response organization Emerald Services Inc. to conduct containment, clean up, disposal, and decontamination of the oil spilled on the ship’s deck. Emerald Services Inc. placed sorbent pads and secured the ship’s scuppers to prevent further spread of the oil.

MSU Valdez vessel inspectors conducted a Port State Control Exam on the BBC Arizona Saturday morning to verify that the condition of the ship and its equipment comply with the requirements of federal and international regulations and that the ship is manned and operated in compliance with these rules.

Under observation of the Coast Guard, Emerald Services Inc. also took samples of the oil to send off for analysis and property identification.

The BBC Arizona is an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general dry cargo ship and heavy load carrier operated by BBC Chartering and Logistics. The ship’s last port of call was Qinhuangdao, China.

For more information contact Lt. Allie Ferko at allison.e.ferko@uscg.mil, 907-835-7209 or cell 907-533-8185.