Coast Guard Escorts Distressed Vessel

The Coast Guard cutter Mustang assisted five people on a disabled fishing vessel in Prince William Sound today. The Mustang escorted the vessel Current to Patten Bay on Montague Island early Thursday morning. The Current became disabled 23 miles south of Middleton Island in the Gulf of Alaska Wednesday evening. The vessel was without power or engine propulsion. The pilothouse windows had been broken out by 10 to 15 ft. waves. The captain of the Homer-based boat attempted to contact the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Juneau. But the captain couldn't establish a connection. Using a satellite phone, the captain contacted the Coast Guard cutter Roanoke Island around 5:30 p.m. The crew of the Current activated their 406 MHz emergency beacon to provide the Coast Guard with an accurate position. The beacon was secured shortly after. The Mustang was returning to Homer after participating in a military exercise in Valdez when it was diverted to assist the Current. The cutter and crew arrived on scene five hours later. The cutter Mustang escorted the Current to Patten Bay. After arriving in Patten Bay at about 1:53 a.m. yesterday, the two crews began assessing the condition of the 50-ft.-long liner. Upon completion of the assessment the Current got underway to Seward.