MOBILE, Ala. — The Coast Guard continues searching, Wednesday, for three Coast Guard members who went missing while conducting a training flight in the vicinity of Mobile Bay.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port Mobile has established a safety zone approximately three-and-a-half miles south of Point Clear and two nautical miles in diameter.

The search area encompasses a majority of Mobile Bay.

The Coast Guard, along with several federal, state and local first responders, has conducted more than 40 search-and-rescue sorties in an effort to locate the three missing Coast Guardsmen.

The 57-foot salvage vessel, Ben R. Johnson, owned by Jordan Industries, Inc., arrived at the crash site at approximately 4 p.m., to conduct initial assessments prior to beginning the salvage operations of the sunken helicopter. 

Assets searching include:

 - Multiple MH-65C helicopters and crews from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, La.;

- One MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla.;

- Two 41-foot utility boats and crews and one 25-foot Response Boat-Small and crew from Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island;

 - The Coast Guard Cutters Cobia and Stingray, homeported in Mobile;

 - One 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and crew form Coast Guard Station Pensacola, Fla;

- One 26-foot Trailerable Aids-to-Navigation Boat and crew from Coast Guard Aids-to-Navigation Team Panama City, Fla.;

 - Coast Guard Auxiliary;

 - Alabama Marine Resources;

 - Daphne Search and Rescue;

 - Mobile County Sheriff’s Flotilla;

 - North Baldwin Sheriff’s Search and Rescue;

 - Bon Secour Fish and Wildlife;

 - Fairhope Police Department.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Coast Guard feature by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Bradshaw

SEATTLE — Members of the Coast Guard and United States Border Patrol work in conjunction on Lake Koocanusa, which borders Mont. and B.C., Canada, June 22-26, 2011, in an effort to prevent illicit smuggling and educate the public on recreational boating safety. The exercise was called Operation Big Sky. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

WHO: Coast Guard Disaster Assistance Response Team, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.

WHAT: Search-and-rescue training exercise to prepare for upcoming Midwest flood season.

WHEN: Thursday, March 1, 2012 from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Coast Guard boat ramp at 2 AW Willis Ave., Memphis, Tenn., 38105.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Coast Guard Disaster Assistance Response Team will conduct a search-and-rescue exercise with members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in preparation for the upcoming Midwest flood season.

The DART and the sheriffs will conduct exercises simulating scenarios that involve sustained high waters in the Mississippi River as well as a scenario that would simulate SAR tactics in a fully saturated and frozen Mississippi River basin.

*Editor’s note: Media interested in attending the event are advised to arrive 15 minutes prior to start time. Parking is available  outside the Coast Guard gate on the boat ramp or service road.

WHO: Capt. Donald Rose, commander of Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala.

WHAT: News briefing on search for three missing Coast Guard members in the vicinity of Mobile Bay.

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012 at 6 a.m.

WHERE: Coast Guard Sector Mobile, 1500 15th St., Mobile, Ala., 36615.

MOBILE, Ala. — The Coast Guard continues the search for three Coast Guardsmen who went missing during a training flight in Mobile Bay, Tuesday.

A news briefing will be held to provide updates on the search-and-rescue operations. A question-and-answer session will be held at the end.

Editor’s Note: Media interested in attending the news briefing are required to notify the joint information center at 251-441-5167 to confirm attendance.

Editor’s note: For a high resolution picture of the sailing vessel, click the thumbnail above. 

AGAT, Guam – Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor assisted members of Guam Fire and Rescue in the salvage of a sailing vessel in Agat Marina, Wednesday. 

The Coast Guard received a call for assistance from the fire department reporting that the sailing vessel Makena was taking on water at the marina pier.

Station Apra Harbor crewmembers responded with dewatering pumps. A Coast Guard reservist noticed the sailing vessel leaning heavily on one side and reported the incident.

Coast Guard crews worked for four hours to dewater the vessel with three pumps, a hand operated bilge pump, and buckets. Water four to five feet deep filled the bilges through the entire vessel. Crews worked to prevent any environmental impact and collateral damage to the vessel. 

“I was proud of the expeditious response by my crew and very impressed with the collaborative teamwork effort with Guam Fire and Rescue and the local boat owners and captains within Agat Marina,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Pavlik, a boatswain’s mate and officer-in-charge of Station Apra Harbor. “My first concern after arriving on scene was the safety of my crew and those assisting with the dewatering effort, but I knew we had a small window of time to effectively and safely respond to avert the potential for a more serious situation from occurring, had the vessel capsized.”

Mariners are reminded to conduct routine inspections and maintenance of installed dewatering equipment and alarms. Additionally, watertight doors and hatches should remain closed, especially while the vessel is moored, to minimize the spreading of flooding, should it occur.

For more information, contact Senior Chief Nicholas Pavlik at 671-355-4843.

Editor’s note: For a high resolution picture of the sailing vessel, click the thumbnail above. 

AGAT, Guam – Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor assisted members of Guam Fire and Rescue in the salvage of a sailing vessel in Agat Marina, Wednesday. 

The Coast Guard received a call for assistance from the fire department reporting that the sailing vessel Makena was taking on water at the marina pier.

Station Apra Harbor crewmembers responded with dewatering pumps. A Coast Guard reservist noticed the sailing vessel leaning heavily on one side and reported the incident.

Coast Guard crews worked for four hours to dewater the vessel with three pumps, a hand operated bilge pump, and buckets. Water four to five feet deep filled the bilges through the entire vessel. Crews worked to prevent any environmental impact and collateral damage to the vessel. 

“I was proud of the expeditious response by my crew and very impressed with the collaborative teamwork effort with Guam Fire and Rescue and the local boat owners and captains within Agat Marina,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Pavlik, a boatswain’s mate and officer-in-charge of Station Apra Harbor. “My first concern after arriving on scene was the safety of my crew and those assisting with the dewatering effort, but I knew we had a small window of time to effectively and safely respond to avert the potential for a more serious situation from occurring, had the vessel capsized.”

Mariners are reminded to conduct routine inspections and maintenance of installed dewatering equipment and alarms. Additionally, watertight doors and hatches should remain closed, especially while the vessel is moored, to minimize the spreading of flooding, should it occur.

For more information, contact Senior Chief Nicholas Pavlik at 671-355-4843.

Editor’s note: For a high resolution picture of the sailing vessel, click the thumbnail above. 

AGAT, Guam – Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor assisted members of Guam Fire and Rescue in the salvage of a sailing vessel in Agat Marina, Wednesday. 

The Coast Guard received a call for assistance from the fire department reporting that the sailing vessel Makena was taking on water at the marina pier.

Station Apra Harbor crewmembers responded with dewatering pumps. A Coast Guard reservist noticed the sailing vessel leaning heavily on one side and reported the incident.

Coast Guard crews worked for four hours to dewater the vessel with three pumps, a hand operated bilge pump, and buckets. Water four to five feet deep filled the bilges through the entire vessel. Crews worked to prevent any environmental impact and collateral damage to the vessel. 

“I was proud of the expeditious response by my crew and very impressed with the collaborative teamwork effort with Guam Fire and Rescue and the local boat owners and captains within Agat Marina,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Pavlik, a boatswain’s mate and officer-in-charge of Station Apra Harbor. “My first concern after arriving on scene was the safety of my crew and those assisting with the dewatering effort, but I knew we had a small window of time to effectively and safely respond to avert the potential for a more serious situation from occurring, had the vessel capsized.”

Mariners are reminded to conduct routine inspections and maintenance of installed dewatering equipment and alarms. Additionally, watertight doors and hatches should remain closed, especially while the vessel is moored, to minimize the spreading of flooding, should it occur.

For more information, contact Senior Chief Nicholas Pavlik at 671-355-4843.