Alaska Commercial Fishing and other Maritime Losses of 1992

January 2, 1992     The 94 foot crab vessel St George disappeared after leaving Dutch Harbor for the crab grounds.  Only an EPIRB and an empty life raft were found.  Lost were skipper David Parks of Blaine WA, Terry James of Blaine WA, Brian Schouten of Blaine WA, Kevin Clark of Ferndale WA, George Dahl of Bellingham WA and Shawn McWethy of Soldotna.

January 12, 1992     The 42 foot cod trawler Barbara Leigh sank at Noyes Island with the loss of Edward Lander (63).  The disaster was precipitated by an outrigger collapse causing the vessel to heel over, flood and sink.

January 23, 1992     Joe Blake became entangled in crab line and was lost overboard from the 112 foot crab vessel Magnum near St Paul Island in the Bering Sea.

February 3, 1992     Todd Jensen (35) was lost when the 39 foot crab fishing vessel Sea Venture I capsized near Seldovia.  Two other crewmembers were rescued.

February 23, 1992     Ricky Maerz of Homer was lost when the 34 foot salmon fishing vessel Morning Star ran aground at Seldovia Point.

March 2, 1992     A crewmember was lost from the 170 foot fishing vessel Pacific Producer in Resurrection Bay after falling from the gangway.

April 3, 1992     Crewmember Brian Bugg (25) was pulled overboard by a crab line and lost from the 157 foot crab fishing vessel Gulf Wind in the Bering Sea northwest of Amak Island.

June 1992     Crewman Perry Christopher was lost in an onboard accident on the 86 foot crab fishing vessel Bering Empire.

June 9, 1992     Two halibut fishermen were lost when their unnamed 16 foot skiff sank 100 miles southwest of Kodiak.

June 9, 1992     The decomposed body of a fisherman from the June 9, 1992 halibut opening was found September 4, 1992 near Alitak Cannery. The fisherman was reported to have been fishing in Alitak Bay in a 16 foot skiff.

June 12, 1992     A crewman was pulled overboard by the anchor line and lost from an unnamed seine skiff in Bristol Bay.

June 21, 1992     The 46 foot trawler Active sank at Grand Island 15 miles south of Juneau when her fishing gear got hung up on the bottom.  Skipper Milo Davis (36) and crewman Nick Plaskon (19) were lost.

July 5, 1992     The 32 foot salmon fishing vessel 90% Angel sank in a southwest gale at the mouth of the Kvichak River a few miles south of Graveyard Point with the loss of two crewmembers. Two others were rescued by a Trident Seafood Helicopter.

August 18, 1992     The operator of an unnamed salmon skiff was lost when his vessel sank in Togiak Bay.

September 1, 1992     Justin R. Albecker (16) was lost when the 32 foot salmon fishing vessel Tammy Kay capsized and sank off of Point Seduction while under tow.

September 1, 1992     An unnamed salmon seine skiff was holed and sank at Chisik Island in Cook Inlet and both men on board were lost.

September 1, 1992     The inflatable skiff from the vessel Heather Sea capsized and sank in rough weather near Saint Lawrence Island in the northern Bering Sea and one of the two people on board was lost.

September 11, 1992     The 47 foot longline halibut fishing vessel Sea Breeze disappeared with three crewmembers on board outside of Yakutat in the Gulf of Alaska. Lost were Walter “Scooter” Prichard (36), Jay Mattila and Dave Harris.

September 11, 1992     The 40 foot longline halibut fishing vessel Mary May sank near Biorka Island southwest of Sitka losing Jeff Anderson (29) and Robert Enlowe (23) both from Sitka.

September 1992      Mark J Matuszeski was pulled overboard and lost from the 86 foot crab fishing vessel Bering Empire.

October 20, 1992     The 37 foot sea cucumber and urchin dive boat Sea Note sank near Yakutat losing her crew of two.

November 3, 1992     A crewmember entangled his leg in crab line, was pulled overboard and lost from the 148 foot crab fishing vessel Sea Fisher in the Bering Sea northeast of Amak Island.

November 22, 1992     The tug May capsized and sank November 22, 1992 in 50 fathoms of water at the mouth of Farragut Bay in Frederick Sound. Lost were David J. Seelye (45) of Wrangell, Jay W. Ellis (42) of Wrangell and Randy S. Janisch (35) of Washington State.

November 24, 1992     A crewmember was lost when he was washed overboard by a large wave from the 133 foot crab fishing vessel Alaska Trader in the Bering Sea northwest of Amak Island.

December 25, 1992     A crewmember fell overboard and was lost while attempting to climb from the 112 foot fishing vessel Pacific Viking which was moored in Dutch Harbor.

15 Replies to “Alaska Commercial Fishing and other Maritime Losses of 1992”

  1. I have a friend that got drunk in th Elbow Room and missed the departure time of the last voyage of the St. George. He’s a good man that pays it forward every day. He realizes that every sunrise since that fateful day is a gift from above.

    1. Bullshit. I worked for Icicle seafoods, the company that St George fished for, back in the early ninety’s and new Dave parks and his widow.

      The St George went down with all 6 crew on the boat….nobody was left in Dutch Harbor

      1. Jeff Bremner was supposed to be on that boat. I think brian took his spot. Im from blaine and that was commonly known

    1. I am making inquiries to people I know to see if anyone has a photo of the Saint George that was lost with all hands January 5, 1992 out of Dutch Harbor. I will let you know if I find anything. RIP

      1. Thank-you! My uncle Brian was on the boat and our family would appreciate it very much! Thanks Captain Good

      1. Thank you for the correction. I searched newspaper archives and found an article describing this disaster in the Daily Sitka Sentinel of June 22, 1992. Milo Davis (36) of Juneau was the lost skipper and his crewman Nick Plaskon (19) was the other. I am guessing you are a relative. If so, sorry for your loss. I will make the necessary corrections in my books and websites. I will also add the names to the list of persons lost in Alaska Shipwrecks. If you would like a digital copy of the article, I can email you one.

      2. Myron,
        I was a crew member for Milo on the F/V Active. I fished the halibut season in ‘92 along with Ivan, who’d worked with Milo for several seasons, and Nick Plaskon, who was Ivan’s friend, who worked a half-share like me. Milo was a great guy. I remember he played his ABBA cd box set 24/7 as we geared up the weeks leading up to the halibut season. He had asked me to join him and Nick to go trawling the next week but I had to get back to Petersburg (my Summer home base) for a cannery job that took us to Naknek. I know it’s long overdue, but I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. Milo made a positive mark on me the short time I knew him.

  2. Hello,
    I’m trying to find information about a skiff that was lost (1988-1994 is the best I can narrow it down)…there were 2 people on it that were trying to get to shore from their ship during a storm. It happened near Dutch Harbor (I believe, or at least the people/boat were out of Dutch Harbor)….it was a man and woman (the woman I believe was a fishery observer who was from Minnesota? but I believe was working for AK DF&W). I apologize that this is so vague. I remember reading the story in the ADN where the woman’s boyfriend (who I think was a teacher in Unalaska) was quoted something to the effect that her passing left “….tiny ripples of sadness….”. Thank you for any help you can give.

    1. The closest I can come off the top of my head is the Kittiwake: “The U S Fish and Wildlife Service vessel Kittiwake capsized January 29, 1990 at Adak. John Cantu and Karen Norton were lost. James Fuller and Heather Vose were rescued and taken to the hospital at the Naval Air Station on Adak.” I have a news article describing the loss and rescue if this is the one. If not, let me know and I will keep looking.

  3. I wondered.if anyone has a photo of st. George and crew, I was friends with someone on board. Thank you

    1. We do not have a photo of the St George in our files but I see that at least one has been posted on Boats of Dutch Harbor (Facebook). Sorry for your loss.

  4. Late June, 1992 I was hired for a 3 & 1/2
    day king salmon opening. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the ship. I believe the skippers name was Jerry.

    When I was hired(Juneau)he clearly let me know that I was a replacement for a young crewman that lost his life while shrimping. He explained that the ship got its nets hung up on the bottom, and that the crewman I replaced was 19.

    Today for the first time I researched and found this page with the June 21, 1992 incident…RIP

    June 21, 1992 The 46 foot trawler Active sank at Grand Island 15 miles south of Juneau when her fishing gear got hung up on the bottom. Skipper Milo Davis (36) and crewman Nick Plaskon (19) were lost.

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