ALASKA CRAB FISHERMAN LOST OFF SEABROOKE

Tragedy has struck again in the Alaska crab fleet. On January 6, 2009 Keith Criner of Stockton, CA was pulled overboard while fishing on the SEABROOKE, 22 miles northwest of Cold Bay. Reports indicate that Criner got tangled up in a crab pot line while setting gear, and was pulled overboard. The Coast Guard called off the search for the crewman after an extensive air search failed to locate him. The SEABROOKE is home-based in Kodiak, AK. Despite heightened awareness of the need for vessel safety, working as a fisherman in Alaska remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. The 2008 year resulted in multiple vessel sinkings, with loss of crewmen’s lives, including the sinking of the Alaska Ranger and the KATMAI.