Coast Guard Assists Fishing Vessel off Oregon

U.S. Coast Guard crews from across two districts have worked together to assist three mariners aboard a disabled fishing vessel about 95 miles west of Newport, Oregon.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alder, an Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircrew, an Air Station North Bend MH-65 Dolphin aircrew, and a Station Yaquina Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) crew responded to the Defiant, a 97-foot fishing vessel, after it reported at 6:42 a.m. Sunday that it was disabled, adrift and in need of assistance.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River and Coast Guard Northwest District coordinated with Coast Guard Pacific Area to launch the two aircrews, which delivered fresh drinking water, a radio, and a dewatering pump to the vessel at 6:40 p.m. Sunday.

Because of the distance offshore, Coast Guard Southwest District watchstanders directed the Alder to tow the Defiant toward shore. The cutter arrived at 11:07 a.m. Tuesday, established a tow, and brought the vessel roughly 80 miles closer to land. At 10:56 a.m. Wednesday, about 15 miles from Newport, the tow was transferred to the Station Yaquina Bay MLB crew, which brought the Defiant safely into port.