A further update on the Allman Joy

I just spoke with Beth Ipsen, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers.

Troopers believe Frederick Washburn, who was found dead yesterday on his beached fishing vessel Allman Joy, had been out trolling alone for salmon, Ipsen said.

Washburn, who was 72, had some medical issues and this could have played into his death and the vessel grounding, she said. The body has been sent to the statewide medical examiner's office.

"Right now it looks like natural causes," Ipsen said.

The Allman Joy was found high and dry, with Washburn aboard and unresponsive, yesterday morning near Gedney Harbor along Chatham Strait, about 67 miles southeast of Sitka.

Captain of wrecked fishing vessel identified

Just spoke with the Alaska State Troopers in Juneau, and they identified the dead man found yesterday morning aboard the beached troller Allman Joy.

It was Frederick Washburn, who according to the state commercial fishing vessel database was from Sequim, Wash.

The trooper dispatcher I spoke with didn't have any information about what might have caused the grounding near Gedney Harbor some 67 miles southeast of Sitka.

State records show Washburn held two fishing permits: a statewide salmon power troll permit, and a halibut longline permit for vessels under 60 feet long.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported yesterday that the Allman Joy is a 36-foot boat, but state records list it as a 27-footer.

Tragedy strikes troller southeast of Sitka

Allman Joy hard aground near Gedney Harbor southeast of Sitka. U.S. Coast Guard photo

U.S. Coast Guard, 17th District

June 8, 2009

Coast Guard responds to grounded vessel, deceased captain

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard today responded to a grounded fishing vessel with deceased captain on board about 67 miles southeast of Sitka.

Coast Guard Air Station Sitka launched a MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter after Coast Guard Sector Juneau Command Center received a call from the fishing vessel C'est La Vie reporting Allman Joy, a 36-foot fishing vessel from Port Angeles, Wash., hard aground and the captain unresponsive near Gedney Harbor at 7:51 a.m.

The helicopter crew launched at 8:41 a.m. and arrived on scene at 9:16 a.m. On board Allman Joy, the Air Station's duty corpsman could not get a pulse on the captain. The captain was pronounced deceased, taken aboard the helicopter, and transported to Alaska State Troopers in Sitka.

The Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers are conducting an investigation.

A salvage company in Juneau has been hired to remove fuel and oil from the Allman Joy.