The U.S. Coast Guard’s Pacific Strike Team, a cadre of specially-equipped guardsmen deployed to hazardous situations nationwide, are headed to southwest Alaska’s Igushik River to help remove the sunken vessel Lone Star, which caused the closure of a commercial fishery.
The team, which includes some of the Coast Guard’s top emergency responders, will help state and local response crews already on the river, said Lt. Jason Gangel, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage’s chief of response.
The Pacific team is part of the guard’s National Strike Force, which includes more than 200 active, civilian, rescue, reserve and auxiliary personnel. There are specific teams designated for the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions.
