Unified Command Calls Off Search for F/V ALASKA JURIS

The Unified Command, made up of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), and the Fishing Company of Alaska (FCA), have called off the search for the sunken vessel. The JURIS is presumed to have sank in approximately 5,400 feet of water in the Bering Sea.

“We have searched and have not been able to locate the fishing vessel ALASKA JURIS,” said federal on-scene coordinator Lt. Todd Bagetis. The Unified Command as well as various state and federal agencies have ensured that this extensive search prioritized the safety of response personnel, the public, and integrity of the environment.

For three days, searches for the vessel were conducted by air and sea with the help of F/V ALASKA ENDEAVOR, salvage tug RESOLVE PIONEER, and Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules. Diesel sheen believed to be from the ALASKA JURIS was found in the search area, though the source is unconfirmed.

Through the common goal of protecting Alaska’s environment, the Fishing Company of Alaska formally activated a state and federally approved oil spill response organization, Alaska Chadux. No shoreline impacts are anticipated from this intermittent oil sheen.