ASTORIA, Ore. - A crewmember aboard 52-foot motor lifeboat Triumph from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wash., keeps watch over a vessel in tow near the Columbia River entrance Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. The crew aboard Triumph successfully towed the distressed fishing vessel to Astoria, Ore. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Cape Disappointment

ASTORIA, Ore. - The Coast Guard towed a distressed fishing vessel to safety in Astoria Wednesday.

Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wash., received a call from the fishing vessel Steve C, stating the vessel had lost steering approximately 21 miles northwest of Clatsop Spit, Ore., Wednesday morning.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Ore., determined the vessel to be in distress due to its inability to safely maneuver in the inclement weather. Station Cape Disappointment launched a six-man crew aboard the 52-foot motor lifeboat Triumph at approximately 1 p.m. 

The crew transited through 10-14 foot swells for an hour and a half before reaching the fishing vessel and taking it in tow. The Steve C held approximately 22 tons of catch onboard.

Once in tow, the crew of Triumph successfully towed the vessel back across the Columbia River bar through 14-18 foot swells, put the Steve C safely to the pier and moored at Station Cape Disappointment at approximately 1 a.m., Thursday.

No injuries were reported.

For more information, please contact the 13^th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Detachment Astoria at (503) 861-6132

ASTORIA, Ore. - Seaman Lyndsey Fowler sorts canned goods to be used in Thanksgiving donation baskets in Astoria, Friday. The Coast Guard Spouses Association of Astoria and local Coast Guard members will issue the Thanksgiving baskets to needy community families. Food for the baskets was donated by various community schools, Coast Guard units and food banks. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Loumania Stewart

ASTORIA, Ore. - Seaman Lyndsey Fowler (left) and Seaman Apprentice Felicia Martinez sort canned goods to be used in Thanksgiving donation baskets in Astoria, Friday. The Coast Guard Spouses Association of Astoria and local Coast Guard members will issue the Thanksgiving baskets to needy community families. Food for the baskets was donated by various community schools, Coast Guard units and food banks. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Loumania Stewart

SEATTLE - Members of each of the United States Armed Forces compose this color guard, preparing to march in Auburn's 46th Annual Veterans Day Parade and Observance, Auburn, Wash., on Nov. 5, 2011. The mile-long parade boasts close to 200 entries and is kicked off with a Joint Base Fort Lewis McCord C17 aircraft flyover. U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric J. Chandler.

ASTORIA, Ore. - Seaman Tyler Fink works like a demon below the decks of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast during the Coast Guard's annual Haunted Ship Tour in Astoria, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.

Donations gathered by the crew in exchange for a spooky tour of the Steadfast brought in approximately 14 cases of non-perishable food and a dozen warm coats and hats for the needy.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

ASTORIA , Ore. - Operations Specialist First Class Kyle Holbrook drives visitors to the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast mad with fright during the Coast Guard's annual Haunted Ship Tour, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.

Donations gathered by the crew in exchange for a spooky tour of the Steadfast brought in approximately 14 cases of non-perishable food and a dozen warm coats and hats for the needy.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert

ASTORIA, Ore. - Lt. Christian Adams and Seaman Adrian Stimach give visitors to the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast a demonstration of surgery at sea during the Coast Guard's annual Haunted Ship Tour, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.

Donations gathered by the crew in exchange for a spooky tour of the Steadfast brought in approximately 14 cases of non-perishable food and a dozen warm coats and hats for the needy.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert

SEATTLE - The 50-foot fishing vessel New York is grounded on the beach north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Oct. 23, 2011. Coast Guard pollution investigaters have responded to the incident. No injuries were reported. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Group Air Station North Bend.

SEATTLE - The 50-foot fishing vessel New York is grounded on the beach north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Oct. 23, 2011. Coast Guard pollution investigaters have responded to the incident. No injuries were reported. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Group Air Station North Bend.

SEATTLE - Debris from the 50-foot fishing vessel New York has washed ashore on the beach north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Oct. 23, 2011. Coast Guard pollution investigators have responded to the incident. No injuries were reported. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

SEATTLE – The Coast Guard is responding to a pollution incident on the beach just north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Sunday.

The 50-foot fishing vessel New York ran aground on the beach shortly after reporting that the vessel was taking on water at approximately 5:30 a.m. 

Coast Guard Station Coos Bay in Charleston, Ore., launched a 47-foot motor life boat and Group Air Station North Bend in North Bend, Ore., launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to respond. The helicopter crew attempted to hoist the three fishermen on board but was unable to because of the vessel’s instability due to the surf. The fisherman eventually swam ashore on their own. 

The helicopter crew landed on the beach, picked up the fisherman and transferred them to awaiting EMS at Group Air Station North Bend.

The vessel’s captain later reported that approximately 300 gallons of diesel, 15 gallons of hydraulic oil and 1/2 gallon of oil are on board.

Coast Guard pollution investigators have responded and are working to develop an effective clean-up operation.

"Sector Columbia River has taken an aggressive and proactive response by hiring an oil spill response contractor to assess and perform the clean-up project, said Lt. Johna Rossetti, Assistant Division Chief, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Incident Management Division. "Our primary goals are the safety of responders and to recover as much pollution as possible to protect the environment."

For additional information contact the District 13 Public Affairs office at (206) 220-7237.    

ASTORIA, Ore. - A crew from Station Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi, Ore., was presented the 2011 Coast Guard Foundation Heroism Award at a ceremony in New York City, Oct. 13, 2011.

Seaman Austin Bartosz (left to right), Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Karas, Petty Officer 2nd Class Conor Bennett and Fireman Michael Callahan were recognized for demonstrating extraordinarily outstanding teamwork, operational risk management, seamanship and courage while battling extreme sea conditions to save the lives of two fishermen last fall.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Daniel Goodrich

ASTORIA, Ore. — A crew from Station Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi, Ore., was presented the 2011 Coast Guard Foundation Heroism Award at a ceremony in New York City, Thursday.

Petty Officer 2^nd Class Conor Bennett, Petty Officer 3^rd Class Matthew Karas, Fireman Michael Callahan, and Seaman Austin Bartosz were recognized for demonstrating extraordinarily outstanding teamwork, operational risk management, seamanship and courage while battling extreme sea conditions to save the lives of two fishermen last fall.

The 56-foot fishing vessel Double Eagle capsized in breaking seas while attempting to cross the Tillamook Bay Bar on Oct. 3, 2010.  Following the impact of the breaking surf, the fishing vessel was broken apart with two crewmembers still onboard. The two fishermen were in the vessel’s superstructure as it was torn away from the hull and forced underwater by the 15-foot surf.  The two crewmembers eventually resurfaced.

The 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Tillamook Bay quickly sprang into action.

Bennett, the 47-foot motor lifeboat driver, skillfully maneuvered the lifeboat within feet of submerged rocks and 16-foot breaking seas, making it possible to pass a life ring to the captain of the fishing vessel.

The crew located the other fisherman who was trapped in the surf and in danger of being swept into the exposed rocks of the jetty.  Karas threw a rescue bag directly to the fisherman as a 12-foot wall of white water smashed and dragged the fisherman underwater.  Karas held onto the line as the force of the wave carried the fisherman 30 feet through the surf. Callahan and Bartosz recovered the fishermen as he was heaved alongside the motor lifeboat.

The Coast Guard Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of the men and women of the Coast Guard and their families.

For more information on the Coast Guard Foundation’s Annual Salute to the United States Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Foundation, or to help support its work, please visit the Coast Guard Foundation website at www.coastguardfoundation.org.

SEATTLE — Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley honors the Coast Guard's service by taking time from his Oct. 5, 2011 scheduled to meet with and recognize the accomplishments of Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher R. Austin, who was awarded the United Service Organization's (USO) Coast Guardsman of the Year award.

Austin's family was in attendance during the meeting at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Austin, an aviation survival technician at Air Station Astoria, Ore., was recognized by the USO, during an Oct. 6, 2011 ceremony, and chosen for his superior performance of duty during his first day as a qualified rescue swimmer after a vessel capsized in the pounding surf of Willapa Bay, Wash., Dec. 18, 2010.

More information on the rescue and the USO's recognition can be found at http://goo.gl/fGrnb.   

SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard and Wash. Dept. of Ecology are monitoring a 728 foot bulk carrier that lost propulsion nine miles west of Cape Disappointment, Tuesday.

The motor vessel Edfu has anchored and is holding its position in 17 mph winds and 13 foot seas.

The Coast Guard has offered assistance and is waiting for the crew Edfu to assess what repairs will entail. A Coast Guard MH-60 helicopter crew out of Coast Guard Air Station Astoria conducted an over flight Tuesday evening to assess the situation.

Edfu's destination was Kalama, Wash., and the vessel is not carrying any cargo. The cause of the propulsion failure is not know at this time.  

Wash. Dept. of Ecology Public Affairs Officer Curt Hart can be contacted at (360) 480-7908.

The Wash. Dept. of Ecology has established a website at the below address.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/MVEdfu/MVEdfu.html

For more information, please contact 13^th Coast Guard District Public Affairs, at (206) 220-7237.

SEATTLE — The barge St. Elias, which ran aground five miles southwest of Anacortes, Wash., in Rosario Strait, Monday, was refloated, inspected and towed to Indian Island, Wash., Tuesday.

The hull of the 322-foot, dry-cargo barge was inspected by contracted divers from Global Diving & Salvage, who located a 10-foot by 10-foot hole in the forward starboard hold. The hole had a minor effect on stability of the vessel and draft readings indicated an insignificant change to the barge’s trim.

The barge is carrying thousands of pounds of explosives. The cargo remained stable throughout the incident. The Department of Ecology confirmed that a fuel tank on the barge’s deck had been emptied and contained only residual fuel.

Sector Puget Sound received a towing plan from Foss Maritime, who is in close coordination with the barge’s owner, Samson Tug & Barge, based in Sitka, Alaska. After thorough review, the plan was approved. The tug Delta Lindsey took the St. Elias in side tow to Indian Island, with the undamaged stern forward. The tug Henry Brusco assisted with the tow escort, along with the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish, from Port Angeles, Wash.

St. Elias is currently moored at Indian Island.

“As I stated yesterday, this response, and the continued efforts, is a success in part to the combined work of several federal, state, local agencies and industry,” said Capt. Scott Ferguson, Commanding Officer of Sector Puget Sound. “We practice coordinated response exercises often so all agencies are prepared when real situations occur. This is an example of what we prepare for…and we were ready.”

CLICK HERE for the previous releases concerning the grounding of the St. Elias.

For more information, contact Chief Petty Officer Robert K. Lanier, 13^th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office, at (206) 220-7093.