ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard rescued three adults and one child aboard a disabled vessel approximately 13 miles northeast of Whittier Saturday.
A Coast Guard 45-foot response boat-medium crew from Station Valdez safely transported the boaters and their 15-foot vessel to Whittier.
Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center watchstanders received a call from a man reporting a friend had texted him a distress message late Friday night saying his vessel was out of gas. Sector Anchorage personnel issued an urgent marine information broadcast and made contact with the people aboard the disabled boat by cell phone to learn their location. The Station Valdez crew was directed to launch after it was determined no good Samaritans were able to respond.
"The passengers aboard this vessel wisely informed their family and friends of where they were headed and how long they would be gone and reached out for assistance before the situation deteriorated,” said Lt. Matthew Mitchell, command center chief, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. "The Coast Guard recommends boaters also file a float plan with their local harbormaster and carry additional means of communication and flares aboard their vessels for when cell phone reception is unreliable."
There were no reported injuries.