The Coast Guard, National Park Service, and Good Samaritans assisted 76 people from a sightseeing vessel taking on water in Glacier Bay, Sunday.
The Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the Holland America cruise ship Volendam responded to a report from the 79-foot sightseeing vessel Baranof Wind after it reportedly struck a rock and started taking on water in Glacier Bay. The Coast Guard launched an Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew with a dewatering pump and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa to assist the Baranof Wind crew. The Volendam crew transferred 70 people from the Baranof Wind to their vessel, two people were taken aboard a National Park Service boat and four crewmembers remained aboard the Baranof Wind to maintain pumps and to ensure it stays afloat.
The Baranof Wind reports that the flooding has been contained and an anchor was deployed to help stabilize the vessel. There are no reports of pollution at this time. Coast Guard Sector Juneau is sending response personnel to investigate the cause of the grounding and pollution potential. They are also working with Allen Marine to develop a towing plan to deliver the Baranof Winds to Sitka, Alaska. The crew of the Volendam will transport the Baranof Winds passengers to Bartlett Cove where they will be transferred to another Allen Marine vessel and returned to Juneau.