A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevacs an injured logger in a remote area approximately 35 miles west of Portland, Ore., July 15, 2013. The crew then transported the logger, along with a paramedic, to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland. U.S. Coast Guard video by Sector Columbia River, Ore. 

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard medevaced an injured logger approximately 35 miles west of Portland, Ore., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Warrenton, Ore., received an agency assist request from Washington County, Ore., Search and Rescue at approximately 7:30 a.m., stating an injured logger with two broken legs and severe bleeding was in need of a helicopter hoist just north of Highway 6, just west of Glenwood, Ore., in the vicinity of Gales Creek.

Sector Columbia River launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria. The crew arrived on scene to discover the logger situated at the bottom of steep, rugged terrain surrounded by tall trees. Local EMS was on scene but unable to get a vehicle to the patient due to the terrain.

The helicopter lowered a rescue swimmer through a tight opening in the trees, then lowered a rescue basket and a litter. Due to the severity of the mans injuries, the Coast Guard flight surgeon for the case decided to hoist an EMT to accompany the patient in the helicopter.

“We maximized efficiency by using trail lines to lower equipment in addition to the hoist cable,” said Petty Officer 2^nd Class Bradford Simmons, the helicopter rescue swimmer on the case. “We were able to hoist the EMT in the rescue basket while I was preparing the injured logger for a hoist in the litter.”

“The trees and steep terrain created a unique situation causing us to use every available inch of our 200-foot hoist cable,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Coulter, Aircraft Commander for the search and rescue mission.

After successful hoists of the EMT and logger, the crew transported them to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland.

The logger was last reported to be in stable condition.

For additional information please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at 816-582-1725.

HONOLULU – Coast Guard Sector Honolulu suspended the search for a possible missing diver off of Kahe Point Electric Beach Sunday.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point was launched to the scene to search in coordination with Ocean Safety.

The helicopter completed its planned search and due to lack of evidence of distress or any correlating missing persons reports the Coast Guard suspended the search.

The passenger vessel Kai Oli Oli recovered an orange dive float and flag approximately 100 yards off Electric Beach Sunday. The Coast Guard in conjunction with Ocean Safety conducted an investigation into possible ownership of the recovered dive float without success. Although no one appeared to be in distress in the immediate area, the Coast Guard conducted a search as a precaution.

Despite suspending the search, the Coast Guard is asking anyone with information in identifying the owner of the dive float to contact the Sector Honolulu Command Center at (808) 842-2600.

The Coast Guard advises the public to label all watercraft and equipment with contact information in order to quickly account for owners and prevent any unnecessary searches.

For more information, contact the 14th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (808) 535-3230.

NEW YORK – A Coast Guard rescue boat crew medically evacuated a crewmember of the motor vessel Salacgriva approximately 12-miles offshore Sandy Hook, N.J., July 15, 2013.

At 12:24 p.m., the shipping agent of the Salacgriva notified the Coast Guard Sector New York Command Center that a 35 year-old-male crewmember aboard was experiencing severe kidney pain for the past three hours. The captain of the Salacgriva requested he be medically evacuated.

A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook, N.J., launched and arrived on-scene to safely transfer the crewmember. The man was transported to Station Sandy Hook where he was met by waiting emergency medical services. He was later taken to the Monmouth Hospital.

The man was last reported to be in stable condition.

NEW ORLEANS — A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a rigger 60 miles southeast of New Orleans, Monday afternoon.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a phone call from the crew of Spartan Rig 202 reporting a crewman was showing symptoms of a heart attack.

A Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was directed to launch and arrived on scene at approximately 3:30 p.m. The rescue swimmer was left on the rig while the helicopter crew flew the patient to the LSU Medical Center in New Orleans for further medical treatment.

Upon safely transferring the patient, the crew returned to the oil rig to drop off the medic and recover the rescue swimmer.

MIAMI – The Bimini Superfast Ferry received its Initial Certificate of Compliance (ICOC) by the U.S. Coast Guard Monday and is now cleared to embark passengers in U.S. ports of call.  

The Coast Guard requires foreign flag passenger ships arriving in the United States to participate in the ICOC examination process. Specifically, ships that embark passengers for the first time or make an initial U.S. port call while carrying U.S. citizens as passengers.

The 32,000-ton vessel has passed its inspection of navigational, lifesaving, and firefighting equipment and crew proficiency with emergency procedures.

On 26 and 27 June 2013, the Coast Guard first inspected the Bimini Superfast Ferry in Miami.

As with any other commercial vessel or cruise ship vessel examination under Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the Coast Guard’s exam of the ferry focused on document checks, general structural fire protection, automatic sprinkler/water mist systems, fire pumps and hydrants, fixed fire detection systems, fire and water tight doors, engineering systems, emergency lighting, life saving appliances, pollution prevention, navigational safety and security. This was to ensure the vessel was maintaining these systems in proper operating conditions and that the Flag Administration had performed an annual survey.  In addition, a fire and abandon ship drill was witnessed.

As a result of the Coast Guard inspection team’s initial findings, the ferry was issued a work list of items that needed to be corrected which included such items as providing proper operation of the emergency source of power, proving proper operation of the life boat release mechanisms,  and demonstration of the crews overall proficiency to respond to an emergency situation. Since then the Coast Guard has worked closely with the ferry’s ownership to resolve the issues and, as of today, all items have been satisfactorily resolved.

“The Coast Guard is always involved in inspecting cruise ships and commercial vessels that call in U.S. ports to ensure compliance with safety standards,” said Cmdr. Janet Espino-Young, chief of inspections at Coast Guard Sector Miami.  “It is important to note these discrepancies were discovered during our initial inspections prior to the ferry embarking any passengers and we worked thoroughly with the owners of the ferry to bring them up to the standard to safely embark passengers in the United States.”

“Safety of passengers and personnel onboard, and the protection of property, is a top priority of the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Capt. Austin Gould, Coast Guard Sector Miami Commander and Captain of the Port. “We are pleased that the 1,346-passenger ship is now in compliance having met all required safety standards to sail.”

Now in its third year, the Mentor and Leadership Academy Program is set to provide prospective Coast Guard Academy cadets and students from Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School in New London with mentorship in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields during a six-week summer program.

Eight college students from Minority Serving Institutions will receive an intensive two-week classroom education and training on behavior styles, leadership and mentoring at the Coast Guard Academy. The students, known as Engineering Command Mentors, will then spend the remainder of their program training others in engineering activities. They will lead competitions in which both middle school students from Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, as well as high school students participating in the Academy Introduction Program, use their science, math and engineering skills to build a radio-controlled floating robotic craft. The mentors will also work with Camp Rotary at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School during a series of visits in which the mentors will help the middle school students build bottle rockets and provide important leadership and mentorship to the students. The bottle rocket training will take place 9-11:30 a.m. July 22 and 29 at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, and the robotics training will take place 9-11 a.m. July 25 at the Coast Guard Academy’s Leamy Ballroom. The Engineering Command Mentors will provide mentorship to the students at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School 9-10:30 a.m. July 18.

The Mentor Academy was developed through the Coast Guard Academy’s Engineering Department, Leadership Development Center and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity. The mission of the Mentor Academy is to foster the next generation of the Nation’s scientists and engineers by inspiring diverse students to continue their pursuit of higher education in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Please contact Coast Guard Academy Public Affairs at 860-444-8270 for more information.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard assisted the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in the arrest of an intoxicated shrimp boat captain near the Brownsville Ship Channel entrance Monday at 5:18 p.m.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island crews boarded the shrimp boat Adriana after a TPWD agent identified fake documentation, including birth certificate and permanent resident card, for the captain of the vessel.

Coast Guard boarding officers conducted a Breath Alcohol Content analyzer test and field sobriety test on the captain, after he was believed to have been drinking.  The shrimp boat captain registered a .17 BAC, which is more than four times the legal limit and he failed the field sobriety test.  Texas Parks and Wildlife Department personnel transferred the captain to the Cameron County Sheriff Department.

“The Coast Guard’s interest is to maintain a safe boating environment for all mariners,” said Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, the response officer at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi.  “Boating under the influence is extremely reckless behavior that not only jeopardizes your own life but lives of innocent people. We are extremely lucky that this incident involved an arrest and not a major marine casualty in a narrow sea channel with large commercial traffic and recreational boating.”

The Coast Guard works closely with partner agencies like the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Buffalo, N.Y. — Coast Guard Station Buffalo, N.Y. is scheduled to hold a change-of-command ceremony at Station Buffalo, Wednesday at 11 a.m.

WHO: Senior Chief Petty Officer Dennis O’Connell, officer-in-charge Station Buffalo; Senior Chief Petty Officer Craig Allain, and Capt. Brian Roche, commander Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. 

WHAT: O'Connell will will transfer the duties and responsibilities as the officer-in-charge of Station Buffalo to Allain during the ceremony, which Roche will serve as the presiding official.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 11 a.m.

WHERE: Coast Guard Station Buffalo
               1 Fuhrmann Blvd.
               Buffalo, N.Y. 14203 

Upon relief of command, O’Connell will transfer to his next duty station in Boston as the team leader for the Coast Guard 1^st District Aids to Navigation Training Team. Allain takes command of Station Buffalo after serving as the executive petty officer of Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce, Fla.

The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored naval tradition that formally acknowledges the transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another.

The Coast Guard is a multi-mission, maritime military service and is part of the Department of Homeland Security. It is unique among federal agencies in that it is at all times an armed service, while also a humanitarian, regulatory, law enforcement, environmental, and emergency management agency.

Editor’s Note: Media interested in attending should contact Lt. Thomas Pequignot, at 716-843-9317 or Thomas.T.Pequignot@uscg.mil.

BOSTON — The Coast Guard medically evacuated a man from the sailing vessel Intuito near Compass Island Ledge, in North Haven, Maine at approximately 4:45 p.m., Monday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, in South Portland, Maine, received a report at at approximately 3 p.m. Monday, from the operator of the sailing vessel C&C of a man in medical distress aboard the sailing vessel Imtuito.

A Coast Guard Station Rockland, Maine 25-foot Response Boat-Small rescue crew immediately launched and, after consulting with the Coast Guard's on-call flight surgeon, safely transported the man to awaiting EMS at Station Rockland.

His condition is unknown.

Each year, units across the 1st Coast Guard District, which extends from New Jersey to the Canadian border, conduct more than 2,500 search and rescue cases and rescue more than 300 people.

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KODIAK, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk  helicopter crew, forward deployed to Cordova, medevaced an ailing mariner from a fishing vessel in Prince William Sound Tuesday.

The Jayhawk crew safely hoisted the 61-year-old man, reportedly suffering from stroke-like symptoms, from the 273-foot fishing vessel Island Enterprise and transported him to Valdez where he was transferred to awaiting emergency medical services for treatment.

Coast Guard 17^th District Command Center watchstanders received a request from Healthforce Partners at 4:38 a.m. and immediately directed the launch of the Jayhawk.

The crew rendezvoused with the fishing vessel, safely hoisted the ailing man and returned to the Valdez airport to transfer the man to emergency medical personnel.

“This case illustrates the importance of having our Coast Guard crew forward deployed to certain locations during peak fishing seasons,” said Chief Petty Officer Christopher Cole, a Coast Guard 17^th District Command Center watchstander. “Because of this, our helicopter crew was able to get on scene and provide assistance in significantly less time than it would have taken them to respond from Kodiak.”

Weather on scene at the time of the incident was reported as 9 mph winds and 1-foot seas.

For more information, contact Petty Officer 3rd Jonathan Klingenberg at 907-321-4505.

CLEVELAND – The Coast Guard is actively searching for a boy in Lake Erie, Tuesday afternoon.

At 3:30 p.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor, in Cleveland, received notification from a Cleveland Police Officer reporting a missing 15-year-old boy, who was last seen entering the lake at Perkins Beach in Edgewater Park in Cleveland.

The name and hometown of the boy are not being released and there is no Coast Guard imagery available.

A rescue boatcrew aboard a 45-Response Boat-Medium launched from Coast Guard Station Clevleand Harbor and a rescue aircrew aboard an MH65-C Dolphin helicopter launched from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit.

For more infomation contact Coast Guard 9th District Public Affais office at 216-902-6020.

Editors note: The boy was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical service crews, not by the Chief of the Metropark Rangers as reported in a previous release.

CLEVELAND – The Coast Guard has ended its seach for a for a boy in Lake Erie near Edgewater Beach, Tuesday afternoon.

The name and hometown of the boy are not being released and there is no Coast Guard imagery available.

The body of the missing boy was recovered by the Cleveland Fire Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the emergency medical service crew and taken to MetroHealth Hospital.

At 3:30 p.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor, in Cleveland, received notification from a Cleveland Police Officer reporting a missing 15-year-old boy, who was last seen entering the lake at Perkins Beach in Edgewater Park in Cleveland.

A rescue boatcrew aboard a 45-Response Boat-Medium launched from Coast Guard Station Clevleand Harbor and a rescue aircrew aboard an MH65-C Dolphin helicopter launched from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit.

U.S. sailing vessel Persnickety moored in Point Petre, Ontario, Canada, July 15, 2013 after the vessel was found unmanned and adrift in Canadian waters near Point Petre, July 14. The Persnickety's owner Scott B. French, was last seen July 13, 2013, departing Sodus Bay, N.Y., aboard the sailing vessel. Photo courtesy of Canadian Coast Guard

CLEVELAND — Rescue personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard have ended their active search on Lake Ontario Tuesday night for a man reported missing Sunday.

The missing man is Scott B. French of Rochester, N.Y.

At 3:25 p.m., Sunday, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton, Ontario, reported a 32-foot sailboat had washed ashore at Point Petre, Ontario with a New York registration and no passengers aboard.

It was reported that the vessel had cash, food, ice in a cooler and a driver's license onboard. The vessel was found with its sails up and swim platform down.

French was last seen at about 9 a.m., Saturday departing from Sodus Bay, N.Y., aboard the sailing vessel Persnickety. His family reported that he generally traveled north 10-15 miles before returning to Sodus Bay.

The sailboat's onboard GPS was not in use.

Searching were: the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, home-ported in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; an aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., aboard a C-130 Hercules; an aircrew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter; boatcrews from U.S. Coast Guard Stations Rochester, and Oswego, N.Y., aboard 47-foot Motor Lifeboats; aircrews from JRCC Trenton aboard a C-130 Hercules and a CH-146 Griffon helicopter; the crew of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Hearne; a Customs and Border Protection aircrew abaord a Citation II and the crew of Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Wellington.

Rescue crews searched for more than 136 total asset hours and covered more than 6,400 square miles. 

Only after a probable search area is saturated with the appropriate assets and resources, and persons lost or in distress are still not located, is a decision is made to suspend a case.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends," said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Nicholas Bartolotta, chief of response for the Coast Guard 9th District.

"The decision to suspend a search takes extreme consideration and is one of the most difficult decisions a Coast Guardsman is ever faced with."

Anyone that may have information that could aid in the search is asked to call 216-902-6117. 

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard rescued seven people Tuesday night, taking them off of a boat taking on water in the Buffalo Outer Harbor.

The names of the people rescued are not being released, and there is no imagery.

At about 9 p.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Buffalo received a phone call from a 911 operator reporting seven people aboard a 21-foot vessel that had struck a reef while operating outside of the marked channel and was taking on water rapidly.

The watchstander issued an urgent marine information broadcast requesting assistance from any other nearby boaters and rescue boatcrew from Station Buffalo launched aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small.

The boatcrew arrived on scene and brought all seven people aboard the RB-S. When the rescue crew arrived, the vessel was completely sunk with only 4 inches of hull showing above the water line.

The rescue boatcrew placed a pump on the sinking vessel and towed the boat to the Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo, where it was returned to its trailer.

None of the seven people needed medical attention.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to become familiar with the area in which they will be boating. Having up-to-date navigational tools such as paper or electronic charts, U.S. Chart No. 1, and light lists can help boaters avoid potentially hazardous areas.

“Boaters cannot see underwater, which is why the Coast Guard maintains aids to navigation,” said Petty Officer 1^st Class Thomas D’Amore, officer-of-the-day at Coast Guard Station Buffalo. "While there's no perfect substitute for experience and local knowledge, we encourage boaters to exercise prudence and use available tools when navigating unfamiliar waters."

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Farallon repatriated six of eight Dominican men to Cap Cana, Dominican Republic Wednesday, following an at-sea interdiction by the Coast Guard and Caribbean Border Interagency Group law enforcement authorities Tuesday, approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Isabela, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico has agreed to prosecute two of the Dominican illegal migrants aboard the interdicted vessel, on charges of illegal entry into a United States Territory.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Caribbean Air and Marine Branch agents alerted Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders that the crew of a CBP maritime surveillance aircraft, patrolling the area in support of Operation Caribbean Guard, had located a 23-foot migrant vessel transiting towards the west coast of Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Watchstanders relayed the information to the Coast Guard Cutters Farallon and Sapelo, who responded to interdict the migrant vessel. 

The Coast Guard Cutter Farallon arrived on scene, interdicted the migrant vessel and embarked all eight migrants from the makeshift wooden boat, while a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquem MH-65 Dolphin helicopter provided rescue support overhead.

“Migrants risk their lives by entrusting ruthless smugglers to take them on the treacherous journey across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico,” said Capt. Drew Pearson, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander.  “They are very fortunate to have survived thanks to the coordinated efforts of all law enforcement agencies and governments across the region and sheer luck.  For those thinking about taking to the sea, don’t do it, it could cost you your life.”

The crew of the Farallon processed the migrants biographic information, including their digital fingerprints and facial photograph, to determine if any migrants had a previous criminal or illegal immigration history in the United States or a U.S. Territory.

The Farallon rendezvoused with CBP Border Patrol agents in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, who came onboard, interviewed the undocumented migrants and took two of the eight Dominicans into custody for criminal prosecution.

The Farallon proceeded to transit to Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, where they transferred custody of the six remaining Dominicans to awaiting Dominican Republic Navy authorities Wednesday morning.

Operation Caribbean Guard is a Department of Homeland Security multi-agency law enforcement operation to support ongoing efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands being executed under the San Juan Regional Coordinating Mechanism and Caribbean Border Interagency Group.

CBIG was formally created to unify efforts of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Attorney‘s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action, in their common goal of securing the borders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug smuggling.

The Coast Guard supports this initiative by forward deploying Coast Guard resources and capabilities from the United States, such as HC-130 and HC-144 maritime patrol aircraft and additional Coast Guard cutters, to augment locally assigned federal resources and strengthen patrol efforts to deter, detect and disrupt illicit migrant trafficking in and around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Also, CBIG works closely with international partners, specifically the Dominican Republic's Armed Forces and National Directorate for Drug Control.

Coast Guard Cutters Farallon and Sapelo are 110-foot patrols homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

SINGAPORE — Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Mark Neeland, supervisor Activities Far East Marine Inspection Detachment Singapore, presented a U.S. Coast Guard Public Service Commendation to the crew of the motor vessel Hyundai Unity at the Port of Singapore Tuesday.

The Hyundai Unity crew received the award in recognition of their support of a Coast Guard search and rescue mission. On March 4, 2013, Hyundai Unity responded to a request from Rescue Sub-Center Guam to assist the sailing vessel Alingano Maisu, a traditional dual-hulled sailing canoe from Palau Community College that began taking on water with ten sailors aboard.

Hyundai Unity immediately changed course and proceeded to the vessel location where they were able to rescue all ten sailors and eventually transfer them over to the Coast Guard Cutter Washington for transport to Palau.

The Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark, an 87-foot Patrol Boat homeported at Naval Station Everett, Wash., sits moored at dressed ship prior to the cutter's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. CGC Blue Shark was the 60th cutter built in the Coast Guard's line of Marine Protector Class cutters. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh Kopec, a food service specialist assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake, a 175-foot buoy tender based out of Naval Station Everett, Wash., helps prepare for Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. Food service specialists from Henry Blake, a Coast Guard Auxiliarist, and the food service specialist aboard Blue Shark worked together to prepared a variety of food for Blue Shark's change of command ceremony. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Masi, a food service specialist aboard Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark, an 87-foot Patrol Boat home-ported at Naval Station Everett, Wash., prepares an assortment of food, with a helping hand from other food service specialists assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake and a Coast Guard Auxiliarist for Blue Shark's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. Crew members from Blue Shark and Henry Blake prepared for and attended Blue Shark's change of command ceremony. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

Lt. Nathan Wojcik and Lt. j.g. Elizabeth Kates inspect the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark, an 87-foot Patrol Boat home-ported at Naval Station Everett, Wash., during the cutter's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. During the ceremony, Kates relieved Wojcik as Blue Shark's commanding officer. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

Capt. Scott Ferguson, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, presents Lt. Nathan Wojcik with the Coast Guard Commendation Medal for his performance while serving as commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark during the cutter's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. After the ceremony, Wojcik will be attending the Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley under the Coast Guard Financial Management program. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

Family, friends and Coast Guard members enjoy a buffet of food prepared by food service specialists from the Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark, an 87-foot patrol boat, and Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake, a 175-foot buoy tender, at Naval Station Everett, Wash., after Blue Shark's change of command ceremony July 17, 2013. The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition among all Coast Guard units. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Amy Nuckolls.

EVERETT, Wash. – Lt. j.g. Elizabeth Kates assumed the duties and responsibilities as commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark from Lt. Nathan Wojcik, the Blue Shark’s previous commanding officer, during a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Station Everett, July 17, 2013. 

The change-of-command ceremony was presided over by Capt. Scott Ferguson, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound. 

Kates was previously assigned as first lieutenant aboard Coast Guard Cutter Resolute, a 210-foot Reliance class cutter homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Wojcik will attend the Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley under the Coast Guard Financial Management program. 

Blue Shark is an 87-foot patrol boat homeported here. The crew of Blue Shark are involved in a multitude of missions including homeland security, search and rescue, recreational boating safety, port safety and security, and law enforcement including: alien migrant interdiction, pollution prevention, marine sanctuary protection, drug interdiction and fisheries enforcement.

In preparation for Blue Shark’s change-of-command ceremony, crewmembers set up chairs, tents, tables and podiums. Food service specialists from Blue Shark and its neighboring vessel Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake, a 175-foot buoy tender based out of Naval Station Everett, prepared a large assortment of food for the reception following the ceremony. 

The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which formally restates to the officers and crew of the command the continuity of the authority vested in the commanding officer. This unique military ritual represents a total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one leader to the next. 

For more information contact the 13^th District Public Affairs Office at 206-220-7237.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued seven people Wednesday after the 26-foot boat, Going Deep, started to sink approximately 14 miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

The boaters contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 4:30 p.m. and reported their vessel was taking on water.  

The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched crews aboard a 25-foot Response Boat - Small and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet, and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.  

Good Samaritians aboard the merchant vessel Diamond Lady responded to the UMIB and altered course to assist.

Once on scene, the Diamond Lady's crew monitored the situation and acted as a communication relay with the Coast Guard until the crews arrived on scene.

Six of the boaters aboard the Going Deep were taken aboard the Coast Guard's RB-S while Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Burgoa, the response boat engineer, boarded the Going Deep and assisted the owner in bailing out water.  The two men bailed water for appoximately 30 minutes until the 47-foot Motor Life Boat arrived and put the Going Deep into a stern tow.  The crew and the boat were taken to Teach's Lair Marina.  

"The crew put their training and knowledge they have gained at the station into this case," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Hunter, the coxswain aboard the RB-S.  "That is why we train and practice every day, so that when we do get that call, the response is second nature."

There were no reports of injuries.