Accident News

Minor Injuries When Tour Boat Collides With Shore

Ketchikan, Alaska - Allen Marine Tours' M/V Kalinin Express was on a routine tour with passengers from the cruise ship Statendam when the 64-foot Kalinin Express collided with the shore just north of California Head in George Inlet at approximately 4:48 pm Wednesday. According to Allen Marine Tours' Vice President John Dunlap, forty-eight passengers and four crew were aboard at the time of the incident. The tour was returning from the George Inlet Cannery when the water-jet powered vessel due to an apparent mechanical malfunction nosed into a rock wall in George Inlet. The Captain of the Kalinin contacted Allen Marine's Ketchikan office on the business band radio and reported the accident. According to information provided by Dunlap, the Captain reported he had instructed his engineer to conduct an immediate inspection of the vessel and advised the other two crew members to attend to the passengers' needs. The Kalinin's Captain also reported to the Ketchikan office that there were several passengers on board who appeared to be slightly injured with cuts and bruises and one passenger with an injured arm. The Captain also reported that the vessel was intact and was not taking on any water. Dunlap said the Captain was instructed to begin heading towards the Allen Marine dock in Ketchikan at a safe speed.

Within approximately five minutes of receiving notification of the incident, an Allen Marine official had contacted the USCG and apprised them of the incident. The official related the location, status of the vessel and the condition of the passengers. In an effort to assist as needed, the Allen Marine Tours' M/V Katlian Express got underway from Salmon Landing located in downtown Ketchikan. The Katlian Express was to provide return transportation for passengers if necessary, or to escort the Kalinin Express safely back to the Allen Marine dock.The fire department was contacted by an Allen Marine official and requested to dispatch an ambulance. The USCG Marine Safety Division was also contacted. The Coast Guard responded by launching a 47-foot rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Ketchikan with two Ketchikan Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) on board. The Coast Guard arrived on scene and transferred the EMTs to the Kalinin to assess the situation. According to the USCG, seventeen people were reported to have minor injuries. Two of the seventeen were crew of the Kalinin Express.

The Coast Guard boat escorted the Kalinin back to Ketchikan and at 5:33 pm, the Kalinin tied up at the Allen Marine Dock and all passengers disembarked and those needing immediate medical attention were assisted by EMTs. One passenger of the Kalinin was transferred to emergency medical personnel immediately following the vessel's arrival in Ketchikan. Due to a possible injured arm, this passenger was then transported to Ketchikan General Hospital by ambulance and was released a short time later. The cruise ship Statendam was able to depart Ketchikan on schedule. According to the USCG, no pollution was reported and personnel from the Marine Safety Detachment Ketchikan are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the jolt. The 64-foot Kalinin Express is a water-jet powered vessel. Allen Marine Tours provides tours in the southeast communities of Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau and has a fleet of over 20 vessels.

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