Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District
  United States Coast Guard
News Release Date: July 30, 2009
Contact: Petty Officer 3rd Class Charly Hengen
Phone: 907-487-5700

Coast Guard coordinates rescue of two Israeli kayakers near Gore Point

KODIAK, Alaska - Crewmen aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak assist the crew of the fishing vessel Vigilant to rescue two weathered Israeli kayakers July 30, 2009. The aircrew located the two men after a search near Gore Point about 40 miles southeast of Homer. The men were on a trip from Seward to Homer and had been kayaking for eight days. Weather worsened and they became tired and lost some gear prompting them to use their emergency locator beacon and contact the Coast Guard. The kayakers remained aboard the fishing vessel Vigilant and will be taken to Homer in the next 48 hours. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis )   KODIAK, Alaska - Crewmen from the fishing vessel Vigilant throw a lifering to two kayakers who were assisted to the vessel by a Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Air Station Kodiak July 30, 2009. A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew located the two men after a search near Gore Point about 40 miles southeast of Homer. The men were on a trip from Seward to Homer and had been kayaking for eight days. Weather worsened and they became tired and lost some gear prompting them to use their emergency locator beacon and contact the Coast Guard. The men remained aboard the fishing vessel Vigilant and will be taken to Homer in the next 48 hours. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis )   KODIAK, Alaska - Avionics Electrical Technician Second Class Tito Sabagan and Aviation Survival Technician First Class Chuck Ferrante, crewmen aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak scan the Gulf of Alaska for two kayakers in distress July 30, 2009. They located the two men after a search near Gore Point about 40 miles directly southeast of Homer. The men were on a trip from Seward to Homer and had been kayaking for eight days. Weather worsened and they became tired and lost some gear prompting them to use their emergency locator beacon and contact the Coast Guard. The men remained aboard the fishing vessel Vigilant and will be taken to Homer in the next 48 hours. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis )

In these photos and video released by the Coast Guard, a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and crew assist good Samaritans aboard the fishing vessel Vigilant to rescue two Israeli kayakers near Gore Point southeast of Homer Thursday, July 30, 2009. (U.S. Coast Guard imagery/Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis)

Editors Note: Please click on image above to download high resolution photos or video

KODIAK, Alaska – The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of two Israeli kayakers using the assistance of good Samaritans aboard the fishing vessel Vigilant four miles southwest of Gore Point Thursday after severe weather prohibited the men from paddling to shore. 

The kayakers, names unknown, were visiting friends in the area and had been kayaking for eight days around the Kenai Peninsula from Seward when winds increased to more than 35 mph and seven foot seas.

The Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Juneau received initial notification at 3:30 p.m. via satellite phone from a good Samaritan who received a VHF call from the kayakers stating they were in distress.   At the same time the Israeli men turned on thier emergency position indicating radio beacon which assisted the Coast Guard in locating their exact position.

The Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Command Center issued an urgent marine information broadcast at 3:41 p.m. to request the assistance of any vessels in the area.  Air Station Kodiak launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew at 4:18 p.m. who arrived in the area about an hour later.

Once the helicopter arrived on scene and the kayakers were located, the rescue swimmer was lowered to the men to confirm their condition.  Even though the kayakers refused Coast Guard assistance not wanting to leave their kayaks behind, the good Samaritans brought the men and their kayaks aboard the 58-foot fishing vessel Vigilant at approximately 5:30 p.m. with the help of the Coast Guard rescue swimmer.

The Vigilant crew headed to Point Dick with the men and their kayaks aboard and are expected to remain there overnight. They anticipate docking in Homer Friday where the kayakers will disembark.  Gore Point is approximately 40 miles directly southeast of Homer. 

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