ST TATIANA

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All safe after passenger catamaran took on water

69 passengers and five crew members were safe after being evacuated from the "St. Tatiana" in the afternoon of May 21, 2015, in Sitka. The catamaran operated by Allen Marine Tours was returning from a wildlife cruise when one of its jet drives apparently failed around 3 p.m. The starboard engine stopped running, and shortly thereafter the boat’s bilge alarms sounded. When the crew inspected the engine compartment, they could see through the clearing smoke that the vessel was taking on water. Unsure if the boat’s bilge pumps could keep up with the flooding, the captain issued a distress call at 3:30 p.m., and ordered everyone into life jackets as precaution. Two good Samaritan vessels and a Coast Guard boat stood by as the "St. Tatiana" continued toward Sitka. Because of the boat’s limited maneuverability, a second 100-passenger Allen Marine catamaran, the "St. Michael", met the vessel outside of the harbor and took her passengers aboard. The passengers were safely landed by 3:45 p.m., and returned by bus to their cruise ship, the "Regatta", which was tied up at the Old Sitka Dock. The "St. Tatiana" returned under her own power to the Allen Marine shipyard in Sitka for haulout and repairs. I was estimated that the vessel would be out of service for at least a week.