The US Coast Guard and various partner agencies have successfully rescued all 51 passengers plus 16 crewmembers from a ferry in Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park after a fire ignited on board on Monday, June 5.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Juneau received the initial call from the crew aboard the Ro-Pax ferry Wilderness Discoverer at 07:30 local time on Monday stating that there was a fire aboard their vessel and that they needed assistance.
The coast guard patrol boat USCGC Pike and buoy tender USCGC Anthony Petit along with an Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and resources from the National Park Service were deployed to the area to rescue the distressed occupants.
The passengers and 16 crewmembers were safely evacuated and brought aboard the cruise ship Sapphire Princess, which had also sailed to the area to render assistance. Eleven crewmembers remained aboard Wilderness Discoverer to prepare the ferry before it is taken under tow to Ketchikan.
The coast guard said there is no report of injuries or pollution and no impact to vessel traffic.
