Five fishermen were rescued Sunday morning when their vessel sank near Back Island near Ketchikan.

The U..S. Coast Guard base in Ketchikan is seen from a floatplane window. (KRBD photo by Leila Kheiry)

At about 11 a.m. Sunday, Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a distress call from the operator of the 49-foot fishing vessel Daffnie, stating the vessel capsized and sank. According to a Coast Guard news release, all five people on board had abandoned ship into a skiff. The occupants provided coordinates and stated there was only one life jacket on the skilff.

A 45-foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Ketchikan and an Alaska State Trooper boat responded. Troopers arrived shortly after noon and confirmed the location of the skiff.  The Coast Guard crew and good Samaritans aboard the fishing vessel Lovie Joann arrived about 10 minutes later.

The Daffnie sank in approximately 500 feet of water. She carried a maximum of 400 gallons of diesel fuel on board

The Coast Guard crew reported a visible sheen while on scene. Pollution and potential salvage response are pending further investigation. 

No one was reported injured in the incident.