Five Dead when Kodiak Fishing Boat Sinks

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) said that four crew members of a fishing boat were plucked alive from a life raft in frigid, stormy seas Wednesday, hours after their vessel was reported in distress, a Coast Guard spokesman says. Five crew members died, and two remained missingA search continued for the remaining two crew members of the Katmai, a 93-foot fish processor based on Alaska's Kodiak Island, Coast Guard Petty Officer Levi Read said.Read said two more deceased crew members was located Wednesday night by a fishing vessel assisting the Coast Guard in the search. Three bodies were recovered earlier.The water was 43 degrees when rescuers hauled the survivors out of the raft, Read said. He couldn't speculate on how long they were in the raft because it was not known exactly when they abandoned their boat. Still, he said, several factors helped them survive.From working in this environment this summer I am amazed that the survivors lasted as long as they did. Not only is the water virtually as cold as ice but the waves are some of the most devastating and happen without warning a lot of the time. One minute the seas are calm but in the next ten, things could turn, and I remember a few times when we had to head in early because it potentially could be fatal.The Coast Guard received an electronic signal at 1 a.m. from the Katmai. A search helicopter and C-130 airplane were sent from Kodiak, a journey of about 4 1/2 hours. The plane crew spotted two strobe lights in the water and dropped two life rafts. But after sunup, the searchers had seen no sign of the Katmai or its crew, said Associated Press writer Steve QuinnThe Katmai was carrying a load of cod and was heading toward Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island, Read said. Dutch Harbor is 800 miles southwest of Anchorage and about 610 miles southwest of Kodiak but never made it.



To be totally honest I think that this situation tho a tragedy, could potentially happen quite a bit. The water up there is very cold, Even on the hottest days there, I didn't go swimming not even once. But at the same time that's one reason why people are drawn to that type of work. The thrill,rush,income,scenery,ruggedness. The pros and cons of this type of work are on the extremes of both sides. High Rewards Vs High Failure Chance.
Personally I Love it.