Man overboard at Chignik

The Alaska State Troopers today reported the following:

Location: Chignik

Type: Search and rescue

On 10/10/24 at approximately 0810 hours, Alaska State Troopers received a report of a man overboard in Chignik Bay. Jimmy Prokopeuff, 45, of Chignik, fell over the railing of his fishing vessel coming into the fueling dock. The captain attempted to rescue him with a mooring line and life jackets, but the individual was ultimately rescued by search and rescue volunteers who deployed in a skiff at 0829 hours. They retrieved him and transported him to the local clinic for treatment.

Overboard death reported at Togiak

Here's the press release.

Man overboard in Bristol Bay identified

This item appears in the September issue of Pacific Fishing magazine:

Bristol Bay tragedy: Last month, this magazine reported a crewman had been lost overboard from the fishing vessel Pail Rider.

Now we have additional details, including the crewman's name: James "Jamie" Van Elliott, 36, of Stonewall, Louisiana.

"Jamie Elliott, a salmon fisherman, went to his heavenly home due to a tragic accident while fishing in Alaska on July 1," said an obituary published in the Shreveport Times. "Anyone that knew him knew how much he loved to fish, and he referred to the Bering Sea as his 'happy place.'"

An extensive search involving the U.S. Coast Guard and other fishing boats ensued after the man overboard report. But searchers couldn't find him. The Coast Guard said the man wasn't wearing a life jacket.

Elliott's body was finally located on July 6, the Alaska State Troopers tell us.

"His body was found in Nushagak Bay near Clarks Point in the general location where he fell overboard," an agency spokesman said. "The body was found and recovered by another fishing boat in the area."

State records list the Pail Rider's owner as Cajun Endeavors LLC, which is owned by Jonathan Danese and David Danese.

Elliott's obituary mentions "his beloved friend and captain, Jonathan Danese."

Missing Bristol Bay fisherman identified

The Alaska State Troopers have identified a fisherman believed to have fallen overboard near Pilot Point as Fredrick Bock, 57, of Ninilchik.

Crewman goes overboard, dies near King Cove

A crewman fell off the commercial fishing vessel Matt Michelle and died near King Cove, the Alaska State Troopers report.

Troopers said the U.S. Coast Guard notified them of the mishap shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday.

Here are further details from a press release:

Preliminary investigation revealed the vessel was occupied by two persons, the skipper and one crewmember. As the anchor was being retrieved a large swell hit the side of the vessel causing the victim to be thrown into the water. The skipper, identified as Raymond Leslie Koso Jr., 48, of King Cove, radioed a distress call as he attempted to rescue the victim from the sea. Koso deployed a life ring and other means but was unsuccessful as the current carried the victim farther from the vessel. Koso eventually managed to reach the victim with a long line and was able to tow him closer to shore. After donning a survival suit, Koso entered the water and pulled the victim ashore. Eventually, Koso was joined onshore by crewmembers of the fishing vessel Miss Roxanne, who responded to the distress call. Efforts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful. The body of the victim, identified as Rudy Paul Dushkin Jr., 53, of King Cove, was returned to King Cove aboard the Matt Michelle and efforts are under way for the body to be sent to the state medical examiner's office in Anchorage for further investigation. No personal floatation devices were worn at the time of the incident.

Coast Guard suspends search for man overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard just announced it has suspended the active search for a man reported overboard north of Unimak Island in the Bering Sea.

Searchers covered 64 square miles over 10 hours.

The Coast Guard said it received a report this morning from the Seafreeze Alaska that a crewmember of the F/V Seeker had gone overboard.

State records list the owner of the 98-foot Seeker as James M. Seavers, of Newport, Ore.

The Coast Guard has not named the missing man.

A Coast Guard helicopter completed one search of the area, returned to Cold Bay to refuel, and then did a second search.

Shortly thereafter the cutter Alex Haley arrived on scene to assist in the search.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the missing man," said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Chris Cole. "The decision to end a search is one of the most difficult choices to make as a search and rescue controller."

Man reported overboard in Bering Sea

The U.S. Coast Guard says a search is under way for a man reported overboard from the F/V Seeker 10 miles northwest of Unimak Island in the Bering Sea.

A Coast Guard helicopter out of Cold Bay and several good Samaritan vessels are searching the area. The cutter Alex Haley also is responding.

Conditions on scene include winds of 35 miles per hour with 10-foot seas.

Search suspended for missing deckhand

The U.S. Coast Guard says it has suspended the active search for a 25-year-old man who went overboard Monday night from the fishing vessel Swift near Porpoise Island, some 40 miles west of Juneau.

The Alaska State Troopers and other responders have been called in to "search the underwater area between the anchored vessel and the beach for the crewman," the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard did not name the missing man.

Crewman needs medevac after fall overboard

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter on Friday hoisted a hypothermic crewman off the 58-foot fishing vessel Stella in Shelikof Strait.

Earlier in the day, the 35-year-old crewman had fallen overboard.

He spent about 25 minutes without a survival suit in the 38-degree water before his fellow crewmen could bring him back aboard, the Coast Guard said.

"This crew did everything right to rescue this man and this is a perfect example of why vessel crews need to practice their emergency drills monthly," a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The crewman was flown to Kodiak for medical attention.

"Coast Guard personnel will investigate the cause of the man overboard," a press release said.

Grim update on man overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man reported overboard today near Skagway in Southeast Alaska.

The Coast Guard identified the boat involved as the Darlin' Michele, out of Haines.

State records show the 48-foot vessel belongs to Theodore L. Lynch, of Haines.

Haines radio station KHNS reported the vessel captain and a deckhand were commercial shrimping in an inlet between Haines and Skagway when the 62-year-old skipper, believed to be Lynch, went overboard. Listen to the radio report here.

"It is always a very hard decision to make when you have to suspend a search for a man overboard," said Nick Meyers, a watchstander at the Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center. "Our hearts go out to the family, friends and the crew of the fishing vessel."

Man overboard reported near Skagway

The U.S. Coast Guard reports a search is under way for a man reported overboard from a fishing vessel near Skagway.

A press release does not name the lost man, nor the boat involved.

The Coast Guard says it received a call from Skagway police this afternoon saying the man had fallen overboard.

Efforts to pull him back aboard with a life ring failed, the Coast Guard says.

Two helicopters, a C-130 airplane, three good Samaritan vessels and Skagway emergency responders are involved in the search.

Search suspended for crewman lost off cod boat

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a crewman reported overboard from the fishing vessel Flying Ocean.

Here is a Coast Guard press release.

We note that the release erroneously says the boat's crew was crab fishing. In fact, the Flying Ocean was participating in a pot cod fishery, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game confirms.

Search under way for man overboard off Kodiak

The U.S. Coast Guard searched today for a fishing vessel crewman reported to have fallen overboard about 30 miles northwest of Sitkinak Island.

Sitkinak is south of Kodiak Island.

The Coast Guard said it received notification at 10:53 a.m. from the F/V Flying Ocean that one of its crewmen went overboard while crab fishing.

Winds of 20 mph and 6-foot seas were reported in the area.

The cutter Hickory, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a C-130 airplane searched the last known position of the missing crewman, the Coast Guard said.

In a separate case, a Coast Guard helicopter early this morning rescued five fishermen from a Sitkinak Island beach.

They abandoned their vessel, the 58-foot Kodiak Isle, after it struck a rock and took on water.

The boat was still afloat at 2:30 a.m. when the helicopter departed the scene with the survivors, the Coast Guard said.

Troopers confirm identity of man overboard

Here's a press release from the Alaska State Troopers on yesterday's man overboard incident north of Juneau:

Location: Juneau
Type: Search and rescue — presumed drowning
On 7/4/12 at approximately 0735 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the Alaska State Troopers in Ketchikan to report they were actively searching for a male who fell overboard off the F/V Eleanor S. It was reported that the man went in the water near Mab Island, approximately 25 miles north of Juneau, at about 0500 hours. The man has been identified as 63-year-old Richard Boyce of Haines. It was reported that Boyce tripped and fell in the water while attempting to undo a fishing net stuck in the boat's prop. The USCG conducted a search of the area using vessels and a helicopter. Boyce was not wearing a PFD when he fell into the water. Boyce was not recovered and the search effort was suspended for the evening pending new leads.

Search ends for man overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard said late Wednesday it had suspended the search for a fisherman who fell overboard south of Berners Bay in Southeast Alaska.

The Coast Guard didn't identify the victim, but said the fishing vessel involved was the 39-foot Eleanor S.

State records list the boat's owner as Richard B. Boyce, of Haines.

Man overboard reported north of Juneau

This just in from the U.S. Coast Guard:

July 4, 2012

Coast Guard searching for man overboard near Juneau

The Coast Guard is searching for a crewman reported overboard off a fishing vessel near Mab Island about 25 miles north of Juneau.

The Coast Guard received a report at 5:10 a.m. that the crewman fell overboard while trying to remove fishing gear from the propeller.

Coast Guard Station Juneau launched a 25-foot response boat and Air Station Sitka launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. Both Coast Guard assets are on scene.

"The Coast Guard would like to ask that all mariners in the area south of Berners Bay keep an eye out for the missing person," said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Harkins.

The crewman reportedly is wearing green rain gear but no flotation device.

Man overboard was from Pennsylvania

Lower 48 media reports say the crewman lost off a fishing vessel Friday near Sand Point was Joe Haller, of Greenville, Pa.

Here's a western Pennsylvania newspaper story, and here's a TV report out of neighboring Youngstown, Ohio.

The crewman was 19 years old, the reports say.

Contrary to the TV report, the F/V Glacier Spirit was fishing for cod, not crab.

The U.S. Coast Guard has not officially released the victim's name.

Update on man overboard

The U.S. Coast Guard says it suspended the search at 4:42 p.m. for a crewman lost off the fishing vessel Glacier Spirit near Sand Point.

Coast Guard aircraft spent about six hours searching more than 40 square miles without any sightings of the missing crewman.

The Coast Guard said it received a call at 10:26 a.m. from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game requesting assistance in searching for the crewman.

"My thought and prayers are with the victim's family and friends," said Capt. Daniel Travers, 17th Coast Guard District chief of incident management. "Suspending a search without finding the person you're looking for is one of the hardest decisions for the Coast Guard to make."

The Coast Guard hasn't yet released the victim's name.

State records list the owner of the 47-foot Glacier Spirit as Richard Eastlick of Sand Point.

Search on for man overboard near Sand Point

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a man reported overboard from the fishing vessel Glacier Spirit near Sand Point.

A Coast Guard helicopter and a C-130 airplane are involved in the search.

Weather conditions include winds of 25 mph and 12-foot seas.

Search ends for man overboard in North Pacific

The U.S. Coast Guard, at 8 p.m. Sunday, suspended its long-range air search for a crewman reported missing from a Korean-flagged container ship.