Coast Guard En Route to Aid Crew ‘Abandoning Ship’ South of Hawai’i

The United States Coast Guard is responding to a report of 40 people abandoning ship after the fishing vessel American Eagle caught fire Wednesday about 1,800 miles south of the state.

At 10 a.m., 42 crew members on the 258-foot U.S. flagged fishing vessel abandoned ship into two life rafts, three work boats, and one skiff.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu received notification from the vessel’s company American Eagle Fishing LLC at 8:38 a.m. of a fire aboard the vessel.

An urgent marine information broadcast was issued by Coast Guard officials and an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Barbers Point was launched.

Coast Guard officials say the crew should arrive on scene at about 5 p.m. Hawai’i time Wednesday evening.

In addition, Fong Seong 888, a Tuvalu-flagged oil tanker, is en route, transiting more than 90 miles to the vessel’s location and should arrive on scene at about 8 p.m. Hawai’i time.

An emergency position-indicating radio beacon was activated and is transmitting information, according to the Coast Guard.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the incident.