The US Coast Guard Alaska issued a statement on a missing person after an explosion and subsequent fire at Delong Dock in Whittier, Alaska, according to which they suspend the search on the missing person.
The Coast Guard committed all available resources in conducting this search effort. Our thoughts are with the family and friends who were impacted by this tragedy.
… commented Cmdr. Mark Kuperman, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage deputy commander and the search-and-rescue mission coordinator for the search.
Mainly, the fire spread to the pier and then to the Anagalik, a commercial fishing vessel, that on the first place was reported to have two people onboard.
The Whittier Police has confirmed that one of the two people onboard the vessel has been safely taken to another vessel, en route to Whittier.
After midnight, US Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders heard the phrase ‘Whittier fire, Whittier fire‘ over VHF Channel 16 and contacted Whittier dispatchers, who confirmed there was a fire at Delong Dock. Later on, an Alaska Railroad security officer also reported the situation.
The Coast Guard reported that the fire allegedly occurred on a fixed barge and then spread to the pier and then to the fishing vessel.
In light of the incident, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, forward deployed to Cordova, searched by air while crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur and Coast Guard Auxiliary 336 continue to search for the missing person.
Also, watchstanders issued a Safety Marine Information Broadcast that set a 100 yard safety zone to place the vessels in a safe distance from the fire, while the crew of the Chandeleur launched in response to help maintain the safety zone and conduct a search.
After the announcement that the fire was extinguished, both the fishing vessel and barge sank in 85 feet of water at the pier with a potential maximum of 5,500 gallons of fuel oil aboard. The fishing vessel owners have contracted Global Diving and Salvage for clean-up and salvage efforts.
Brian Hicks, Whittier Fire Department chief and the on-scene commander, confirmed personnel from Whittier Fire / EMS Department , Whittier Police Department, Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Fire Department andGirdwood Fire Department all involved in the response, including crews aboard Tender 41 and Tender 42 from Girdwood.
