https://youtu.be/zjaQ1SbvrEU
The US Coast Guard is coordinating fuel removal and salvage operations for a fishing vessel that caught fire near Eureka. The case started Wednesday morning, when a crewmember from the distressed fishing vessel ‘Midori’ contacted another fishing vessel ‘Charlie D’, via cell phone, to report a fire aboard.
The Charlie D crew then contacted USCG Sector Humboldt Bay watchstanders via VHF channel 16, reporting the Midori was on fire with five crewmembers preparing to abandon ship, approximately 10 miles west of Trinidad.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched a Sector Humboldt Bay MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew to assist.
The Midori crew donned their survival suits and abandoned ship into a life raft and the good Samaritan fishing vessel ‘Pacific Bully’ rescued all crew, before the USCG helicopter and boat arrived at the location to find the vessel’s pilothouse engulfed in flames. Shortly after, a passing tug, the ‘Michelle Sloan’, diverted from its course and extinguished the fire aboard the Midori.
The captain of the Midori reported that the vessel had a maximum of 1,500 gallons of diesel remaining aboard. USCG Marine Safety Detachment Humboldt Bay pollution responders have determined the 47-foot vessel ‘Midori’ is safe to tow to the Eureka Municipal docks, where diesel will be removed before the boat is salvaged. Fuel removal has not been scheduled. No serious injuries were reported.
Cmdr. Brendan Hilleary, the chief of response at Sector Humboldt Bay, said:
The quick response of the vessels Pacific Bully, Charlie D and Michelle Sloan, along with the Midori’s readiness with appropriate survival equipment saved the lives of five fishermen yesterday. Our crews continued the good work this morning by mitigating the threat of pollution the vessel could have caused.
