Sinking US Army Vessel Beached
USCG responds to 'Mayday' from US Army's ship 'Monterrey' deleberately beached after striking underater object off Alaskan coast
The Army vessel reportedly struck an object and began taking on water in Chiniak Bay.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was launched with dewatering and rescue equipment, to assist the Army crew aboard the Monterrey, a landing craft with the 481st Transportation Company located in Vallejo, Calif.
To keep the vessel from sinking, the Monterrey crew successfully beached the vessel on Puffin Island. The crew reported a breach in an 8,000-gallon fuel tank and Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Kodiak personnel responded.
The Coast Guard has contracted Alaska Chadux Corporation to assist in containing and cleaning up the fuel leak. While only one fuel tank has been reported as damaged, the Monterrey is reportedly carrying up to 40,000 gallons of fuel on board.
Good Samaritans aboard the fishing vessels Resolution and Peggy Joe also responded to assist. The Peggy Joe crew safely transported two crewmembers with minor injuries from the Monterrey to emergency medical services in Kodiak.
The Monterrey crew was participating in a mission to provide transportation of heavy construction equipment and supplies from Port Hueneme, Calif., to Bethel in support of a mission for the United States Marine Corps.