A man aboard a disabled 40-foot fishing vessel grounded 127 miles east-southeast of Cordova was rescued through combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers on Oct. 3.
Coast Guard officials said the man aboard the fishing vessel Gambler was located by a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules aircrew, who had been on a training flight in the Cordova area, and dropped a rescue kit that included a VHF-FM radio to allow for communications between them.
After coordinating with state troopers, the man was rescue from the shore by troopers, who were on patrol in the area, and transported back to Cordova.
The helicopter aircrew had been ready to conduct a rescue hoist, if needed, the Coast Guard said.
Weather on scene at the time was reported to be 7 mph winds, 12 miles visibility and an air temperature of 53 degrees.
The Coast Guard said the man’s decision to carry an operable EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon) enabled orbiting satellites to quickly pass the vessel’s position and name to the Coast Guard, resulting in a quick response.
