Video: 46 crew rescued from sinking fishing boat off Alaska

Watch as merchant vessels, along with the US Coast Guard, rescue 46 crew, who were forced to abandon their boat when it starting sinking in the Bering Sea, Alaska.

Crew members of the fishing vessel, Alaska Juris, were forced to abandon ship after it started taking on water in the Bering Sea.

The 220-foot trawler was approximately 690 miles west of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

It started sinking near to Kiska Island around noon (local time) on 26 July.

In a statement, the US Coast Guard said: “Coast Guard 17th District watchstanders received an electronic position indicating radio beacon alert from fishing vessel Alaska Juris around 11:30 a.m. Alaska time and contacted the crew directly to confirm they were in distress, donning survival suits and abandoning ship.”

A Coast Guard Cutter Midgett and an Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules airplane were diverted to the vessel’s location.

Two Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters were also launched to Adak as a staging and refuelling area.

The US Coast Guard then issued an urgent marine information broadcast to vessels in the area.

Merchant vessels Spar Canis, Vienna Express, Seafisher and Ocean Peace diverted to assist.

The 46 crew members from Alaska Juris were rescued from their life rafts by Spar Canis and Vienna Express.

There were no reports of any injuries.

The US Coast Guard described the rescuers as “good Samaritans”.

Weather conditions during the rescue were calm seas and winds, although there was low visibility because of heavy fog.

The crew of the Alaska Juris are being transported to Adak – a 13-hour journey from where they were rescued.

The cause of the vessel taking on water is under investigation.

District 17 command duty officer, Lt. Greg Isbell, said: “The crew of the Alaska Juris did the right thing by calling for help, putting on their immersion suits and safely abandoning the ship.”

He added: “Emergencies can occur at any time in Alaska’s vast and extreme environment, and the good Samaritans’ willingness to respond to the UMIB was paramount to getting the Alaska Juris crew to safety.”

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is monitoring the case closely.