Some clarifications on Togiak man overboard case

Deckboss has felt a little frustration over the quality of information coming from the U.S. Coast Guard on the man overboard case out of Togiak.

It's now clear the boat involved, the Miss Colleen, is a 32-foot gillnetter, not a 28-foot seiner. Further, it's likely the boat isn't homeported in either Metlakatla or Anacortes, Wash.

Based on the information below from the Alaska State Troopers, the boat belonged to Nick Mavar, who has a post office box in South Naknek, state records show.

A reader believes Mavar might have a "Deadliest Catch" connection, but I haven't verified this.

Here is today's press release from the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Togiak Bay
Type: Search and rescue
On 8/01/09 at 0230 hours, the Alaska State Troopers in Dillingham were notified by the USCG that they were involved in a SAR in the area of Togiak Bay. Investigation revealed that the evening of 7/31/09, 31-year-old Benjamin Symmes, of Montana, was acting as the sole deck hand aboard the fishing vessel Miss Colleen during the Togiak fishery. Sometime around 2030 hours, Symmes fell overboard from the vessel while it was under way, unbeknown to the boat's skipper, Nick Mavar, age 44, of Washington state. Symmes was not wearing a PFD. Once Mavar realized Symmes had fallen overboard, a massive search began that involved 20 fishing vessels, several USCG aircraft and Togiak residents that continued for 20 hours. The afternoon of 8/01/09, the search for Symmes was suspended. Symmes was not located. The next of kin was contacted and made aware of the situation.