Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Video release: Oil removal commences on Point Lena wreck

Editors note: Click on the image above to download high definition video

JUNEAU, Alaska – Specialized divers with Global Offshore Diving and Salvage Inc., remove free standing bunker oil from the overhead compartments of the Princess Kathleen Saturday.

The divers continued to vacuum the oil from the overhead compartments of the main and upper decks throughout the week. They are scheduled to begin removing the heavy bunker oil from the fuel tanks within the next week.

The Unified Command has been working with Global Offshore Diving and Salvage Inc., Southeast Alaska Lighterage, Trucano Construction, Olsen Marine, Foss Maritime Company and Allen Marine to safely remove the oil from the shipwreck and protect the environment.

The Unified Command has containment, absorbant and snare booms around the dive site to collect any escaping oil to minimize any impact on the environment.

For more imagery of the Princess Kathleen please click on the Unified Commands website link below.

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Unified Command to Host Princess Kathleen Open House

JUNEAU, Alaska - The Unified Command for the Princess Kathleen Assessment Operations will host an open house Thursday, April 1, 2010 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the DIPAC Center.

The public is encouraged to attend and learn about the structural integrity and condition of the Princess Kathleen and estimates for the volume of fuel still onboard.  The Unified Command will also share information about plans for removing fuel from the vessel. Representatives from the Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and Global Offshore Divers will be available to answer questions.

“This is an opportunity for the public to meet with the people in charge of this response,” said Coast Guard Capt. Melissa Bert, federal on-scene coordinator for the cleanup. “One of our goals is always complete transparency of operations, so we hope that citizens with questions about the ship will visit the open house and share their concerns.”

Members of the media are also invited to attend the open house, where they will have the opportunity to interview members of the Unified Command and other subject matter experts.

The 369-foot Princess Kathleen, a Canadian Pacific Railroad vessel built in 1925, went aground and sank near Point Lena in 1952. The ship now rests on a slope in 80 to 140 feet of water and continues to periodically cause small unrecoverable oil sheens in the area.

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Multimedia Release

Princess Kathleen dive operation assessments continue

JUNEAU, Alaska – Divers from Global Offshore Diving and Salvage Inc. continue dive operations aboard the Princess Kathleen to assess remaining fuel levels aboard the sunken vessel.

Contracted divers are drilling into the ship's fuel tanks to determine the contents and approximate amount of fuel remaining aboard.  The divers plug the created holes to minimize any potential impact to the environment and to allow for future access to the tank if deemed necessary.

A unified command has been established between the Coast Guard and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to assess the vessel and determine if fuel remaining aboard poses a threat to the maritime environment.

The Princess Kathleen sank off of Point Lena, more than 15-miles north of Juneau after running aground in 1952.  The vessel which came to rest more than 120-feet below the surface has become a popular diving attraction in Southeast Alaska.

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Video Release: Princess Kathleen Dive Operations

JUNEAU, Alaska - A diver with Global Offshore Diving and Salvage Inc., conducts the first dive pointing out sections of the Princess Kathleen shipwreck near Point Lena March 11, 2010.

The dive conducted allowed the team of divers to familiarize themselves with the 369-foot sunken passenger vessel.

Video courtesy of Global Offshore Diving and Salvage Inc.

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Princess Kathleen Assessment Operations delayed

JUNEAU, Alaska – The Unified Command for the Princess Kathleen Assessment delayed dive operations here Monday due to inclement weather.

A team of divers will conduct an initial dive assessment, conduct an ultrasound of the hull's integrity and assess the amount of fuel onboard. Based on that information the Unified Command will determine if it is safe to to remove the oil from the vessel.

Dive operations will continue as soon as weather permits.

A media availability boat ride will also be scheduled.

The 369-foot Princess Kathleen, a Canadian Pacific Railroad vessel built in 1925, grounded and sank near Lena Point in 1952 carrying an esitmated 155,000 gallons of fuel. The Princess Kathleen now rests on a slope in 80 to 140 feet of water and continues to periodically cause small unrecoverable oil sheens in the area.

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Unified Command hosts open house

JUNEAU, Alaska - Dorthy and Terry Cary, Juneau residents, look at a picture of the Princess Kathleen during an open house hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center March 4, 2010. 

The 369-foot Princess Kathleen, a Canadian Pacific Railroad vessel built in 1925, grounded then later sank near Lena Point in 1952 carrying an estimated 155,000 gallons of fuel.

An effort is underway to recover oil from the Princess Kathleen.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios

JUNEAU, Alaska - Members of the Juneau community address questions with Capt. Melissa Bert, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau and Lt. Latarsha McQueen (left), during an open house held at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center March 4, 2010.

The open house allowed the community to meet the members of the Unified Command who are leading an effort to recover oil from the Princess Kathleen that sank in 1952.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Unified Command: Princess Kathleen

Princess Kathleen Assessment Operations Open House

JUNEAU, Alaska - The Unified Command for the Princess Kathleen Assessment Operations will host an open house Thursday, March 4, 2010 from 5-7 p.m. at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

The public is encouraged to attend and learn about the vessel and how the Unified Command plans to assess how much oil may remain onboard.  Representatives from the Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and Global Offshore Divers will be available to answer questions.

The 369-foot Princess Kathleen, a Canadian Pacific Railroad vessel built in 1925, went aground and sank near Lena Point in 1952 carrying an estimated 155,000 gallons of fuel. The Princess Kathleen now rests on a slope in 80 to 140 feet of water and continues to periodically cause small unrecoverable oil sheens in the area.

For more information please visit: the Princess Kathleen Unified Command website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/princesskathleen 

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Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

Coast Guard concludes Loran-C signal broadcast after more than 67 years
"Photos and video Available"

     
Editors note: For high resolution photos or to download the video please click on the image above.

KODIAK, Alaska - Crews at the Coast Guard Long Range Aids to Navigation stations, including the six Alaska-based stations, turned off their domestic signal across the nation at 11 a.m. Monday.

The shutdown of the signal concludes the broadcast of the U.S. domestic signal. Stations Attu and Shoal Cove, which are bound by bi-lateral agreements with Russia and Canada, will continue to broadcast their international signals until later this year. All the stations will continue to be maintained and manned as the closure of the facilities proceeds over the coming months. Decommissioning dates have yet to be set and plans for the dismantlement of the stations are in development.

Loran-C was originally developed to provide radio-navigation service for U.S. coastal waters and was later expanded to include complete coverage of the continental U.S. as well as most of Alaska. Twenty-four U.S. Loran-C stations work in partnership with Canadian and Russian stations to provide coverage in Canadian waters and the Bering Sea. The system provided better than 0.25 nautical mile absolute accuracy for within the published areas and provided navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. It was approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule and Visual Flight Rule operations.

The Loran-C system served the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, parts of Alaska and neighboring countries. Dedicated Coast Guard men and women have done an excellent job running and maintaining the Loran-C signal for 67 years, 8 months and 24 days. It is a service and mission of which the entire Coast Guard can be proud.

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The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future.

Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

Date: Feb. 6, 2010
Contact: (907) 487-5700
(907) 321-4176
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally

Coast Guard medevacs Soldotna man near Seward

Editors note:  Please click on the images above to download high resolution photos and video.

KODIAK, Alaska - The Coast Guard assisted the Alaska State Troopers by medevacing a Soldotna man suffering from multiple injuries after a snowmachine accident 15 miles northeast of Seward Saturday morning.

Don Feltman, 49, was snowmachining Friday when he had a snowmachine accident and was later found by Alaska State Troopers.  Feltman was reported to have suffered from a possible dislocated shoulder and broken arm and was complaining of backpain.

The State Troopers contacted the Seventeenth Coast Guard District watchstanders in Juneau about 7:22 a.m. Saturday requesting a medevac of Feltman. The launch of an Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was delayed until approximately 10:35 a.m. due to inclement weather in Seward.

The helicopter crew safely hoisted Feltman at about 11:45 a.m. and safely transported him to Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage in stable condition.  Local medical personnel transported him by ambulance to Providence Medical Center.

The weather Friday evening was reported as limited visibility and heavy snow. The weather at the time of the hoist had a reported temperature at 25 degrees with visibility of one to four miles and snow squalls.

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The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future.

Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

Coast Guard conducts medevacs off St. Paul

"Video and photos Available"

For the news release, please click here.

Editors note:  To download high resolution video, please click on the images above.  Please note it may take time to upload the video.

Please click on the image above to download a high resolution photo.

KODIAK, Alaska - Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Gerent, aviation survival technician with Air Station Kodiak and resident of Gainesville, Fla., assists Chad Smith after an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced Smith from the 150-foot fishing vessel Alaskan Leader Feb. 4, 2010, 265 miles northwest of St. Paul Island. 

Smith was taken to St. Paul in stable condition and received a commercial medevac flight to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Kodiak.

Please click on the image above to download a high resolution photo.

KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew assists Chad Smith from the aircraft in St. Paul Feb. 4, 2010, after the helicopter crew medevaced Smith from the 150-foot fishing vessel Alaskan Leader. 

Smith was taken to St. Paul in stable condition and later received a commercial medevac to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Air Station Kodiak.

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The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future.