ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Coast Guard rescue crews from Air Station Kodiak have recovered four fishermen at 8:39 p.m. 50 miles south of Montegue Island after the 75-foot Seattle-based fishing vessel Northern Belle sank Tuesday around 5:30 p.m.
Three of the four fishermen were reported to be suffering from hypothermia and a fourth was unresponsive but receiving CPR. It was reported the four fishermen were wearing survival gear when hoisted into the helicopter.
The MH-60 helicopter crew transferred the fishermen to awaiting emergency medical personnel in Cordova for further medical treatment at 9:20 p.m.
Coast Guard Communications Station Kodiak received the distress call on HF-FM radio around 5:30 p.m. from a crewmember reporting four people were on board and they were sinking and abandoning ship. The call was forwarded to the 17th District Command Center in Juneau.
The command center directed Air Station Kodiak to launch a MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter and a HC-130 Hercules aircraft at 5:40 p.m. The Cutter Long Island, which was 40 miles northwest of the Northern Belle, was also diverted to the area and should arrive on scene shortly after 8:30 p.m.
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