Coast Guard chopper crashes

Herald Sun ^ | 9th December 2004 | Matt Volz

[naturalman1975]

A US Coast Guard helicopter crashed into the Bering Sea with 10 people aboard while conducting a rescue after a powerless bulk freighter grounded on an island in south-western Alaska.

The Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley picked up four of the 10 people. Six were unaccounted for, the Coast Guard said.

The Selendang Ayu, a 738ft-long freighter loaded with soybeans and 1.7 million litres of fuel, broke in two when it ran aground on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian chain, the Coast Guard said.

[Jeff Head]

Great news Tonk. Answer to prayer.

Semper Paratus!

More prayers for the remaining souls lost at sea from that tanker.

[luvie]

ALL US COAST GUARD personnel on helo are alive!

PRAYER WORKS!
THANK YOU LORD!

[stockpirate]

Thank you God!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

http://www.piersystem.com/external/index.cfm?cid=912&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.docview&documentID=58844

Crew from crashed helicopter to return to Kodiak today

KODIAK, Alaska - The crew of the helicopter that crashed while hoisting survivors from the Selendang Ayu are all safe and schedualed to return to Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak here this evening. Due to possible weather delays please contact our public affairs office at 487-5053 after 4 p.m. local time.

The crew of the helicopter are: Lt. Dave Neel of Stilwell, Okla., Lt. Doug Watson of Cranford, N.J., Petty Officer Second Class Brian Lickfield of Allentown, Penn., and Petty Officer Third Class Aaron Bean of Silvertown, Colo.

The families of the crew will be on hand when they arrive.

Members of the Kodiak community are welcome to attend.

http://www.piersystem.com/external/index.cfm?cid=912&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.docview&documentID=58826

UPDATE-Selendang Ayu aground and broken in half on the northern shore of Unalaska

KODIAK, Alaska - The motor vessel Selendang Ayu, a 738-foot freighter has run aground and broken in two on the northern shore of Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Island Chain. In addition a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak crashed last night while evacuating the remaining eight crew members from the Selendang Ayu.

The vessel ran aground more than 40-hours after the ship's main engine broke down causing it to drift in high winds and heavy seas. The Coast Guard has rescued 20 of the Selendang Ayu's 26 crewmen.

The three Coast Guard crewmen from the Jayhawk and two persons who remained aboard the stricken vessel after the helicopter crashed are safe. Six crewmen from the Selendang Ayu still remain missing. The Coast Guard was able to evacuate 20 of the ship's 26 crewmen at approximately 2:30 p.m. Alaska Standard Time.

The Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley and the tug Sydney Foss remained on scene through the night to monitor the wreck of the Selendang Ayu and search for the missing crewmen.

The Coast Guard plans to continue the search by air at first light using helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft to the scene to relieve the Kodiak based AH from command and control. The CGC Sherman, a 378 foot high endurance cutter from Alameda, CA is headed to the scene.

The Coast Guard has deployed the Cordova based cutter Sycamore to also assist at the scene to respond to the anticipated oil spill from the ship's propulsion fuel.

There have been no reports of pollution from the Selendang Ayu but any oil spilled will become visible at first light.

The Selendang Ayu was transporting a shipment of soy beans from Tacoma, WA to a port in China.

[Mustng959]

I was reading the original post and from what I've heard about that area the chances for a total rescue were probably slim. When I scrolled down to the update I was elated that God intervened and spared the lives of brave rescue members from the Coast Guard.
Thank-you, Father.

[B-Cause]

Tonk,

Any word on what caused the crash? My son is the chief instructor pilot for the Oregon Guard's Air Ambulance Blackhawks. He and other pilots would be interested in any of the specifics.

Thanks in advance.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Praise to the Lord for keeping them safe!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Any word on what caused the crash?"

Not yet

IF I see anything I'll let you know.

Tell your son I said

Thank You for your service to our country.

[blackie]

Amen Brother!

[B-Cause]

Kathy,

Here's a few photos.

Jayhawk that crashed a few minutes later

Survivor on Coast Guard vessel after rescue

Adrift and before breakup

Adrift before breakup

Vessel breaks up

Stern half adrwash

[Arkinsaw]

Wonderful, wonderful news. God bless the Coast Guard.

[Former Military Chick]

Thank you for the ping tonk, I will offer my prayers along with our fellow Freepers.

[Texas Termite]

Thank God at least the Coast Guard crew made it. Blessings for sure........

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, B-Cause, for posting these pictures. I never get to the paper til after work. The wind blows, HARD, out there most of the time. Fishing is terribly dangerous, and this is not all that uncommon either. Thank God for the Coast Guard!! And thank God they are all safe.

The USCGS Alex Haley.

[BIGLOOK]

Welcome news for which I thank God and the US Coast Guard!

[Cold Heart]

Definitely oil in the water. Hopefully the broken sections can be towed before they brake up any more and dump more oil.

The poor foreign flag merchant schmucks still haven't gotten survival suits issued to them. Sounds like another cheapo operation, which may have been part of the engine problems.

Thank God the Coasties are OK. I used them once at their extreme range past the Aleutians. Medivac'd a sailor that was bleeding internally. We couldn't get a needle in a vein to administer fluids. I was extremely happy to see that USCG chopper.

[BykrBayb]

What a relief! There was a happy ending before I even read the bad news. Must have been a lot of prayers going up.

[BykrBayb]

Thanks for the update Kathy. Whew! What a miracle.

[Former Military Chick]

Great news Tonk, thanks for the update **ping**

LAUREN ADAMS / AP
A cargo ship drifts in the Bering Sea yesterday before running aground. A Coast Guard helicopter crashed while ferrying crew members from the stranded freighter.

[B-Cause]

Will do Tonk - He's West Point '83. Apache Company Comander in Desert Storm, Bronze Star there - Afghanistan 1 year - Bronze Star there (Almost shot out of the air several times on rescue missions) and now flies for Alaska Airlines as a day job - as well as Oregon Guard. Done a few high risk rescues on Mt. Hood & Rainier.