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ALASKA RANGER: THE RESCUE MISSION
Posted by: Joseph S. Stacey
May 28, 2008
Topic: Vessel Crashes and Collisions
The Marine Board of Investigation into the Easter morning sinking of the Alaska Ranger uncovered details about the events of that night and heard tales of the heroism of the crew and rescue personnel, who were able to save the lives of all but five crewmen who were forced to abandon ship.
One of the first people to be interviewed was Capt. Craig Lloyd, the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Munro, which responded to the Alaska Ranger's mayday call. Lloyd testified that rescue helicopters reached the site of the sinking at about 6am. The helicopters tried to lower the survivors onto the Alaska Ranger's sister ship, the Alaska Warrior, which had also responded to the mayday call. However, the deck of the Alaska Ranger was too icy, the seas too rough, and the danger of entangling the rescue baskets in the rigging too great. The helicopters had to instead transport survivors to the Munro. The Munro was further from the scene, so this cost the rescue helicopters both time and fuel.
Lt. Timothy Schmitz, who was the aircraft commander on the Dolphin helicopter attached to the Munro, testified that the helicopter launched under questionable conditions. The Munro was further from the scene than Schmitz was comfortable with, the Munro was pitching and rolling, and the winds were stronger than the recommended limits for launching a helicopter, but Schmitz testified that "Once we heard uncontrolled flooding it changed the dynamic of the case...when the possibility to save life is there, abuse of the aircraft is acceptable." The helicopter launched, despite the bad conditions, and began plucking survivors from the icy water.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Alfred Musgrave told of a harrowing and intense moment during the rescue operation. During the hoist of a survivor who was disoriented from probable hypothermia, the survivor kept changing positions in the rescue basket, and struggled against the Coast Guard swimmer assisting him. Musgrave lost sight of the man several times during the struggle to get him into the basket. When the man, in an awkward position, finally reached the helicopter, Musgrove attempted to pull him into the helicopter, but was unable to because the man's survival suit was heavy and filled with water. When Musgrove turned to get a knife to drain the suit, the survivor shifted out of the basket, holding on by only his elbows. Musgrove grabbed and held him for three or four seconds, but the man slipped out of his grasp and fell about 45 feet to the water.
This is one tragic story amid a night of successful and heroic rescue operations. The crew of the Munro and its helicopter, along with the Alaska Warrior and its crew, were able to save 42 of 47 crewmen, even in the dark, with seas up to 25 feet and temperatures as low as -11 degrees, and fighting snow flurries. Without their brave efforts, the already tragic sinking of the Alaska Ranger could have easily been even more catastrophic.
