A single-engine turboprop Cessna Caravan, operated by Bering Air, was en route from Unalakleet to Nome on Thursday February 6th, 2025, when it vanished from radar. It was a regularly scheduled commuter flight. The aircraft went missing about 30 miles southeast of Nome, with contact lost less than an hour…
Articles Posted in Coast Guard
78-Foot F/V Northern Endurance Runs Aground Near Unalaska
On Thursday, January 23, 2025, the 78-foot F/V NORTHERN ENDURANCE ran aground near Little Priest Rock, approximately three miles from Unalaska. The City of Unalaska Fire Department initially arrived on the scene, then relinquished control of the situation to U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Unit. A representative from the Fire…
Coast Guard Releases Names of Lost F/V Wind Walker Crew
The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 headquarters announced that the next of kin of the five individuals missing after the sinking of the F/V WIND WALKER have been notified. The agency also released the names of the missing crew members. GoFundMe accounts have been established for all five grieving families:…
F/V Wind Walker Tragedy in Alaska’s Icy Waters
The icy waters off Alaska proved unforgiving early Monday morning as a tragic chapter unfolded. The F/V WIND WALKER, a 50-foot commercial vessel, capsized near Point Couverden, southwest of Juneau, leaving five crew members unaccounted for and a community dealing with grief and unanswered questions. The U.S. Coast Guard first…
Safety Rules Still Lax After F/V Scandies Rose and F/V Destination Losses
Five years have passed since the tragic loss of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE, and seven years since the sinking of the F/V DESTINATION. Both vessels were burdened with crab pots that exceeded the estimated weights in their stability reports, and both vessels capsized during severe weather conditions. The attorneys at…
Coast Guard Issues Alert after Fishing Boat Explosion in Hawaii
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert following a deadly explosion aboard the F/V KIM THU, an uninspected commercial fishing vessel, in Hawaii on April 26, 2024. In a recent update, U.S. Coast Guard officials provided further details about the blast, while the Department of Law Enforcement confirmed that…
Coast Guard to Purchase Polar Icebreaker Aiviq
The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed plans to purchase a commercial icebreaker and deploy it in Juneau, Alaska, the agency announced on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. This decision follows an earlier preliminary announcement and comes just days after the HEALY, a 27-year-old icebreaker, was forced to abandon its Arctic mission…
Sitka Fisherman Killed in Tragic Accident
A 75-year-old Sitka fisherman died Monday, August 19, 2024, following a fatal accident in the engine room of his fishing vessel. Alaska State Troopers identified the victim as Barry McKee, who was fishing aboard his troller LISA JEAN near Salisbury Sound, approximately 20 miles northwest of Sitka. According to reports,…
Ken Stetz Wins 2024 Coast Guard Art Competition
We are delighted to report that Ken Stetz has been named the winner of the 2024 George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence at the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP). The annual art acceptance ceremony was held on Thursday, July 11th, 2024. The award-winning piece, titled “Absorbing the Roll,” is a…
One Rescued, One Deceased after Fishing Vessel and Skiff Collide
It is with great sadness that we report the tragic incident that unfolded after a collision between the 58-foot F/V VIS and a 20-foot skiff in Wrangell Narrows, Alaska. The collision claimed the life of a 73-year-old woman from California, as confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard, and resulted in…