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On the Edge of Survival: A Shipwreck, a Raging Storm, and the Harrowing Alaskan Rescue That Became a Legend
From the acclaimed author whose beloved books inspired the hit television show, The Deadliest Catch, a thrilling, true adventure tale in the Alaskan seas.
In 2004, during a brutal storm, a Malaysian cargo ship runs aground off the coast of Alaska. One of the most incredible Coast Guard rescue missions of all time is set in motion.
In the blinding snowstorm, two Coast Guard H-60 Jayhawk helicopters race to the scene to save as many of the vessel's crewmen as possible, before she sinks or rolls over. Through gale-force winds, all but nine are hoisted by rescue basket to safety. But during attempts to save the last crewmembers, one of the Jayhawks is engulfed by a rogue wave and crashes into the sea. The men who had been hoisted into the aircraft, along with the chopper's three-man crew plunge into the ocean where hypothermia sets in immediately.
Through interviews with all the surviving participants of the disaster and with access to documents and photos, acclaimed author Spike Walker has crafted a devastating, white-knuckle tale of survival and death in the unforgiving Alaskan waters.
In 2004, during a brutal storm, a Malaysian cargo ship runs aground off the coast of Alaska. One of the most incredible Coast Guard rescue missions of all time is set in motion.
In the blinding snowstorm, two Coast Guard H-60 Jayhawk helicopters race to the scene to save as many of the vessel's crewmen as possible, before she sinks or rolls over. Through gale-force winds, all but nine are hoisted by rescue basket to safety. But during attempts to save the last crewmembers, one of the Jayhawks is engulfed by a rogue wave and crashes into the sea. The men who had been hoisted into the aircraft, along with the chopper's three-man crew plunge into the ocean where hypothermia sets in immediately.
Through interviews with all the surviving participants of the disaster and with access to documents and photos, acclaimed author Spike Walker has crafted a devastating, white-knuckle tale of survival and death in the unforgiving Alaskan waters.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2010
153 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 12, 2014
The rescue story is incredible, however the writing isn't. That isn't to say it is terrible, but many times I found an awkward sentence, or cliche, that took the energy out of the narrative. That being said, any story featuring waves large enough to knock helicopters out of the sky is worth a read. I do agree also with some other reviewers, that the author stretched this too much, I think the book could have been half the size and been much better. The crew featured in this book is outstanding and I am grateful we have folks like this working on behalf of others.
December 2, 2014
Wow this was one exciting book. I was kept on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Written by Spike Walker, who also brought us the books that inspired the highly popular television show "Deadliest Catch", this book does not disappoint. I've found that I like certain types of non-fiction books more than others and books about life on the sea are some of the best I've ever encountered. And the fact that this book is about events that took place in Alaska makes it even better. I'm sort of partial to that state you know...Anyways, this book, focuses more on the rescue of the stranded mariners and those on the Coast Guard rescue team who put their lives in danger to rescue the stranded ship crew. Over all it's one of the most exciting books I've read all year.
Synopsis
On a cold morning in December 2004 the Selendang Ayu, a giant freighter, bound for China lost it's engine and was drifting on a collision course toward the Aleutian Islands. Carrying over 400K gallons of oil, the Selendang Ayu posed a serious threat if it should run aground and start leaking oil in the vicinity of Unalaska Island which is part of the largest maritime seabird nesting areas in North America. The damage to the environment would be devastating. In blizzard-like conditions, two H-60 Jayhawk helicopters race to the stranded ship to rescue the crew. In a devastating turn of events, the rescue team becomes those who need rescued when one of the Jayhawks is hit with a rogue wave and crashes into the freezing arctic water. In this book, Walker, retells the events of that night and the harrowing experiences for all involved.
My Thoughts
Wow, this was an amazing book. I'll admit that I'm very critical of authors who write about Alaska. I was born and raised the wilds of Alaska and know first hand how unforgiving the country can be. Alaskans know that you can't let your guard down because the climate, the terrain and even the wildlife will kill you if you aren't always on your toes. When reading books about Alaska, I want to see that the author has done their research regarding this largest state in America. It's an amazing state and people either love it or hate it when the get there. I'll admit that I'm spoiled having been raised in this amazing state. But I have never once taken it for granted in any way shape or form and I expect the same when I read about it. This is where I give Spike Walker big kudos for doing such an overwhelmingly good job in doing it justice. I can't say that other books written about Alaska have been done with such honesty and realism as Walker. It's one of the main reasons I highly recommend this book.
Written with great suspense and heartfelt emotion, Walker, easily portrays the events that occurred during the rescue and humanizes all the Coast Guard personnel involved. In Alaska, search and rescue by the Coast Guard is a dangerous job. And the teams involved in this rescue were brave, courageous and determined. They never gave up in doing their job. Walker has paid tribute to those who survived and those who lost their life in this rescue by retelling their story. I highly recommend this book. It's fast paced, heart-stopping, thrilling and frustrating all rolled into one great story. Check it out if you want a great inspirational real-life story.
Synopsis
On a cold morning in December 2004 the Selendang Ayu, a giant freighter, bound for China lost it's engine and was drifting on a collision course toward the Aleutian Islands. Carrying over 400K gallons of oil, the Selendang Ayu posed a serious threat if it should run aground and start leaking oil in the vicinity of Unalaska Island which is part of the largest maritime seabird nesting areas in North America. The damage to the environment would be devastating. In blizzard-like conditions, two H-60 Jayhawk helicopters race to the stranded ship to rescue the crew. In a devastating turn of events, the rescue team becomes those who need rescued when one of the Jayhawks is hit with a rogue wave and crashes into the freezing arctic water. In this book, Walker, retells the events of that night and the harrowing experiences for all involved.
My Thoughts
Wow, this was an amazing book. I'll admit that I'm very critical of authors who write about Alaska. I was born and raised the wilds of Alaska and know first hand how unforgiving the country can be. Alaskans know that you can't let your guard down because the climate, the terrain and even the wildlife will kill you if you aren't always on your toes. When reading books about Alaska, I want to see that the author has done their research regarding this largest state in America. It's an amazing state and people either love it or hate it when the get there. I'll admit that I'm spoiled having been raised in this amazing state. But I have never once taken it for granted in any way shape or form and I expect the same when I read about it. This is where I give Spike Walker big kudos for doing such an overwhelmingly good job in doing it justice. I can't say that other books written about Alaska have been done with such honesty and realism as Walker. It's one of the main reasons I highly recommend this book.
Written with great suspense and heartfelt emotion, Walker, easily portrays the events that occurred during the rescue and humanizes all the Coast Guard personnel involved. In Alaska, search and rescue by the Coast Guard is a dangerous job. And the teams involved in this rescue were brave, courageous and determined. They never gave up in doing their job. Walker has paid tribute to those who survived and those who lost their life in this rescue by retelling their story. I highly recommend this book. It's fast paced, heart-stopping, thrilling and frustrating all rolled into one great story. Check it out if you want a great inspirational real-life story.
November 30, 2024
This is an incredible story of the Coast Guard's commitment to providing safety, monitoring security, and saving lives. At the end of the book I was teary eyed, because while the author is not Steinbeck, he does a great job of describing the situation so that you can truly imagine it, and even feel some of it, (how can one truly feel what it was like to be there unless you were there? Can't.) the stress, anxiety, pressure that had to be a huge part of everyone's emotion. The angry seas. This book has heightened my appreciation of the Coast Guard, they are unsung heroes. Yes, they are doing their jobs, but also, they put themselves in harm's way to save others and do it time and time again. And so disciplined, structured, organized. I was enthralled, and on the edge of my seat throughout. This is a book all should read.
December 2, 2023
3.5
In many ways I think I am not the target audience for this book, but it’s nice to step out of my comfort zone for a little bit. If you are familiar with military procedures, ships, and airplanes, I think you would enjoy this a lot more.
But dang. This was a harrowing rescue. At times frustrating, and at times terrifying. I can’t imagine what it was like to be in the primordial elements having nearly everything go wrong. The guys that did the search and rescue were badasses.
The author of the book was very descriptive of the events and the sea and weather. It really pieced together the situation.
I do wish to have had the perspective of Captain Singh and his crew, though I suppose there may have been the language barrier that prevented any reporting on their sides. I just wonder what was going through their perspectives too!
In many ways I think I am not the target audience for this book, but it’s nice to step out of my comfort zone for a little bit. If you are familiar with military procedures, ships, and airplanes, I think you would enjoy this a lot more.
But dang. This was a harrowing rescue. At times frustrating, and at times terrifying. I can’t imagine what it was like to be in the primordial elements having nearly everything go wrong. The guys that did the search and rescue were badasses.
The author of the book was very descriptive of the events and the sea and weather. It really pieced together the situation.
I do wish to have had the perspective of Captain Singh and his crew, though I suppose there may have been the language barrier that prevented any reporting on their sides. I just wonder what was going through their perspectives too!
December 25, 2025
The harrowing story of the grounding of the grounding of the Selendang Ayu, a 738-foot-long cargo ship that loses power near the Alaskan Aleutian island of Unalaska. The book is written from the perspective of the Coast Guard crews onboard the helicopters that tried to rescue the 26 crew members from the stricken ship.
It is a tense story and told very well with attempts to be factually correct. The author interviews and tells the story of several actions from the perspectives of those that were there. Unfortunately, even though all were ultimately pulled off the ship, not all survived. It's amazing the lack of awareness of the ship's captain that the vessel could not be saved and therefore his men were in peril. He delayed several times and cost the lives of those men and would've been responsible for the Coast Guard crew that ended up in the water after one of helicopters crashed.
It is a tense story and told very well with attempts to be factually correct. The author interviews and tells the story of several actions from the perspectives of those that were there. Unfortunately, even though all were ultimately pulled off the ship, not all survived. It's amazing the lack of awareness of the ship's captain that the vessel could not be saved and therefore his men were in peril. He delayed several times and cost the lives of those men and would've been responsible for the Coast Guard crew that ended up in the water after one of helicopters crashed.
October 8, 2018
Excellent read, and a quick one. Walker does a fantastic job describing the harrowing rescue of the sailors of the Selendang Ayu and the members of a HH-60 whose helicopter crashed during the rescue attempt. These Coast Guardsmen truly risked everything trying save the lives of the stranded sailors after their ship engine broke and subsequently crashed into Unalaska Island, Alaska during a massive winter storm. The story keeps the momentum while describing the dangerous flight maneuvers involved by the aircrew in a manner that is easy to understand.
All Cost Guardsmen involved in this rescue are true heroes!
All Cost Guardsmen involved in this rescue are true heroes!
November 7, 2025
This was a thrilling account of a legendary Coast Guard rescue. A freighter runs into trouble in the deadly Bearing Sea and the Coast Guard responds with 2 helicopters and the cutter Alex Haley. The rescue doesn't go as planned and the brave Guardsmen must rescue not only the crew, but their fellow Guardsmen as well. The captain and crew of the Selandang Ayu definitely contributed to the rescue that went wrong and environmental damage as well. Their actions will make your blood boil. Excellent book and Robertson Dean was fantastic on narration.
September 4, 2025
3.5/5
While I loved the story, the writing wasnt strong. The way certain sentences were structured and the transitions from chapter to chapter didn't work. Not for what the story was. Now, the narrative and story itself was strong. It kept me motivated to read. A huge wave knocking a helicopter out of the sky is insane. This whole story seems far fetched but its not. Thats terrifying to think about. These men are heroes!
While I loved the story, the writing wasnt strong. The way certain sentences were structured and the transitions from chapter to chapter didn't work. Not for what the story was. Now, the narrative and story itself was strong. It kept me motivated to read. A huge wave knocking a helicopter out of the sky is insane. This whole story seems far fetched but its not. Thats terrifying to think about. These men are heroes!
December 23, 2025
Another great Alaska coast guard rescue tale. Huge Malaysian cargo ship loses engines. Coast guard cutters and tugs try to haul it away from the rocky shore but lines part and ship is on a path to disaster. Idiot Captain refuses help from two coast guard helicopters. Eventually crew screws around dragging their feet and first copter with seven crew members and helicopter crew were caught in a rogue wave and they all are dumped into the storm. Incredible white knuckle narration. 4****
August 29, 2018
The story is amazing, but the writing is bad. There are so many distracting cliches. Spike switches from referring to himself as “this author” in one paragraph to “I” in the next. I found a lot of the quotes he used to be ineffective.
I’m sill glad I read it because the details of what happened are exciting to read about, but Spike’s amateur writing frustrated me often.
I’m sill glad I read it because the details of what happened are exciting to read about, but Spike’s amateur writing frustrated me often.
November 15, 2023
Great story showing the fearlessness of members of our Coast Guard and their dedication to saving lives.
These stories of how the human mind and body can rise to circumstances beyond imagination are thrilling and exciting. Everyday the Coast Guard is ready and willing to go all out to save Mariners around the world. We owe them big time for the sacrifices they are willing to make on our behalf.
These stories of how the human mind and body can rise to circumstances beyond imagination are thrilling and exciting. Everyday the Coast Guard is ready and willing to go all out to save Mariners around the world. We owe them big time for the sacrifices they are willing to make on our behalf.
March 18, 2019
excellent book well written and not too technical. Very frustrated with the captain of the grounded ship and have nothing but the highest respect for all of the USCG involved in this rescue. Unbelievable bravery and courage. Quick read.
June 28, 2019
Don’t read hours before bedtime, if you want to sleep! In one word..exciting!
Open anywhere and start reading. Then you will surely go to the start. Immensely powerful and convincingly written..then you will surely finish it knowing what true heroism looks like and feels like!
Open anywhere and start reading. Then you will surely go to the start. Immensely powerful and convincingly written..then you will surely finish it knowing what true heroism looks like and feels like!
February 8, 2021
A gripping story of a modern day rescue in Alaska. There are a lot of names to keep track of and a lot of specialized lingo to try to remember. Despite this it kept me riveted on a winter afternoon. I'll definitely look up more by this author.
October 29, 2021
A good book with a surprising twist brought on by some stubbornness of a ship captain. Would have liked a little more details on the cleanup effort and whatever was done about the crashed helicopter.
January 4, 2018
3.5 It was a little hard keeping everyone straight, but this is another book that increases my appreciation for first responders and rescuers.
November 8, 2017
as readable as Erik Larson's nonfictions
January 24, 2018
Couldn't put it down - a fascinating story and extremely well written. You would swear the author was there in the midst of the drama.
March 27, 2018
I did not want to put this one down... A true adventure -- wish it were a novel and not non fiction as there is tragedy along with triumph.
December 12, 2018
Really compelling. (Audiobook)
February 5, 2019
Excellent. Very hard to put down. Seems to me that these men were true hero’s.
March 6, 2019
Compelling tale of heroism in the face of unrelenting nature.
March 27, 2019
on the edge scary tale of extreme conditions and the Coast Guard men who saved lives.
July 30, 2019
Hero's they are
October 17, 2019
Nail biting exciting story of a rescue during a howling storm. Read perfectly by the magnificent Robertson Dean.
February 10, 2020
Some of the language was fairly technical and I had to read those sections carefully. What a fascinating story. I also looked up photos and video online, which made the story even more amazing.
May 20, 2020
Excellent book hard to put down
January 2, 2024
Not beautifully written but what a story!
January 12, 2024
A very detailed account of such a tragic event. Incredible that those who survived did but tragic still for the lives lost and the environmental impact.
February 1, 2024
It started out slow but the actual rescue was exciting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews