The US Coast Guard, Alaska Air National Guard and good Samaritans. a.o. the “St. Michael”, were involved in the search for one male and one female reported missing from the fishing vessel “Miss Destinee” that capsized in Marmot Bay on June 29, 2017.

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, a Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Kodiak boat crew, The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters “Sherman” and “Chandeleur”, nine pararescuemen from the AK ANG 212th Rescue Squadron and the crew of the “St. Michael” searched throughout the night near the location of the “Miss Destinee”, 23 miles north of Air Station Kodiak.

The pararescuemen, staging from the “Sherman”, attempted to access the capsized “Miss Destinee” to search for the missing people while other responders continued to search surrounding waters. They conducted diving operations in and around the “Miss Destinee” but were unable to locate the missing persons.

A good Samaritan crew rescued two survivors from the water near the “Miss Destinee” short time after the accident. The rescued master confirmed two other people were missing after a large wave capsized the vessel. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage received a mayday transmission over VHF-FM channel 16 from the good Samaritan at approximately 7:30 a.m., to coordinate a search for the missing boaters. Weather on scene was reported as light winds and 2-foot seas with 3 miles visibility and fog.

After a 15-mile by 10-mile area in Marmot Bay was searched for more than 35 hours to locate the two missing persons, the operation was suspended. A federal on-scene coordinator representative from Sector Anchorage was en route to Kodiak to oversee salvage operations. The “Sea Strike” was scheduled to arrive in the night of July 1 with divers aboard to commence salvage operations to recover the “Miss Destinee”.