Monday, August 3, 2009

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.

3 comments:

Cat said...

Has then been any update to this store? your blog has great info and myself and the rest of his friends are keeping an eye on it just in case

Anonymous said...

Nick Mavar IS from Anacortes and IS on Deadliest Catch w/the Northwestern. He's Jake Anderson's uncle (on the recent show when Jake's sis Chealsea dies) & has connections to Anacortes' A-Boats.

Sigrid
Anacortes

Anonymous said...

The Miss Colleen is registered to Nick Mavar, Sr in Anacortes. Records indicate it is a 32 foot boat.

http://www.boatinfoworld.com/boat/registrations/anacortes-wa-98221.asp?spg=2