M/V Hekifu; Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Dutch Harbor, Alaska | 1999-Feb-19

Initial Notification: On February 19, 1999, during an unexpectedly intense storm event with 100 mph winds, icing conditions, snow, and zero visibility that knocked out local communications, the Liberian-flagged freight ship M/V Hekifu ran aground at Rocky Point in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. It appeared that we had another Kuroshima on our hands, and the USCG and the state prepared to fly oil-spill response gear and personnel to the harbor from Anchorage as soon as weather permitted. The USCG and local tugs successfully pulled her off the rocks with no loss of oil. Fortunately the CGC Mellon was able to get outside Unalaska Bay and serve as a communications platform after all the local communications were lost. NOAA was asked for weather information and reported that gale force winds were predicted to continued through the weekend with some possible calming on February 22, 1999 USCG district 17.