Maritime Death

Published on: June 10, 2025

Tragedy at Sea: Surviving Two Weeks Adrift After Fishing Vessel Sinks

Alec Frydman was a young man pursuing a new path in life when he signed on for his first trip aboard a commercial fishing vessel. Tragically, that first voyage turned into a nightmare. In his powerful first-person account published in The Atlantic (June 2025), Alec recounts a violent storm that sank the fishing vessel, claiming the life of the captain and leaving Alec alone in a life raft for 14 days. He was the sole survivor. His harrowing story of survival has drawn national attention—and ultimately led him to seek legal counsel from maritime attorney and partner Nigel Stacey of Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC.

Without warning, Frydman found himself alone, dehydrated, and without working emergency equipment. He survived through prayer, mental discipline, grit, and sheer willpower. His experience underscores the hazards encountered by maritime workers and emphasizes the necessity for well maintained, operational safety equipment.

Many survival tales share common themes of endurance, resilience, and the thin line between hope and despair. Alec’s account stands out for its emotional depth and clarity. Drifting without food, water, or contact, he entered what he describes as a “liminal” state, cut off from past and future, afloat in the terrifying now.

Published on: December 10, 2024

Coast Guard Releases Names of Lost F/V Wind Walker Crew

by Nigel Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard District 17 headquarters announced that the next of kin of the five individuals missing after the sinking of the F/V WIND WALKER have been notified. The agency also released the names of the missing crew members. GoFundMe accounts have been established for all five grieving families:

Published on: December 2, 2024

F/V Wind Walker Tragedy in Alaska’s Icy Waters

by Joseph Stacey

The icy waters off Alaska proved unforgiving early Monday morning as a tragic chapter unfolded. The F/V WIND WALKER, a 50-foot commercial vessel, capsized near Point Couverden, southwest of Juneau, leaving five crew members unaccounted for and a community dealing with grief and unanswered questions.

The U.S. Coast Guard first received a distress call at 12:10 a.m. on Sunday, December 1^st, 2024. The urgent Mayday message conveyed a grim situation, as the vessel was overturning amid heavy snow, 60 mph winds, and six-foot seas. Attempts to gather more details were met with silence. Shortly after the call, an emergency beacon confirmed the distress signal from the waters of the Icy Strait.

The U.S. Coast Guard launched a large-scale search and rescue operation involving an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, a 45-foot response boat, and additional resources. Crews braved harsh conditions and searched over 108 square nautical miles. Despite their efforts, no sign of the crew was found. The search was suspended Monday morning, pending new information.

Published on: August 20, 2024

Sitka Fisherman Killed in Tragic Accident

by Joseph Stacey

A 75-year-old Sitka fisherman died Monday, August 19, 2024, following a fatal accident in the engine room of his fishing vessel.

Alaska State Troopers identified the victim as Barry McKee, who was fishing aboard his troller LISA JEAN near Salisbury Sound, approximately 20 miles northwest of Sitka. According to reports, McKee became entangled in the mechanical gear below deck and was fatally injured.

Emergency responders from the Sitka Fire Department were dispatched to the scene and recovered McKee’s body. A good Samaritan vessel assisted by towing the LISA JEAN to protected waters, allowing troopers to conduct an investigation into the accident.

Published on: July 9, 2024

21-Year-Old Fisherman Dies After Becoming Entangled in Fishing Gear

by Nigel Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report the death of a 21-year-old commercial fisherman. On Friday July 5^th, 2024, Corwin Wheeler died after becoming entangled in fishing gear and being pulled overboard and underwater in the Bristol Bay area.

According to Alaska State Trooper spokesman Austin McDaniel, The Department of Public Safety’s patrol vessel received a distress call from the salmon fishermen aboard the F/V ANNY JOY in Kvichak Bay at approximately 12:30 a.m. It was reported that the captain and three other crew members were on board at the time of the incident.

According to Alaska State Troopers, two patrol vessels responded to the scene just as the crew pulled Mr. Wheeler from the water. He had been in the water for about half an hour before being pulled back onto the boat and was unconscious at that time.

Published on: June 25, 2024

Did OceanGate exaggerate partnerships with Boeing, the University of Washington and NASA?

by Joseph Stacey

OceanGate, the company responsible for the lost Titanic tourist submersible likely overstated the details of its partnerships in the development and engineering of the TITAN submersible. This was likely an effort to legitimize the unclassified submersible, which was built with a carbon fiber hull and titanium end caps.

The fatal implosion of the TITAN submersible, a vessel OceanGate once hailed as the “beginning of a new era of exploration,” raises unresolved questions about how the startup was able to operate the vessel and persuade individuals to become high-paying customers in this field of adventure tourism.

In various public statements, the company claimed that the TITAN submersible was designed and engineered with assistance from Boeing, the University of Washington, and NASA. However, each of these entities has described their involvement as more limited than OceanGate sometimes indicated.

Published on: June 11, 2024

One Rescued, One Deceased after Fishing Vessel and Skiff Collide

by Joseph Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report the tragic incident that unfolded after a collision between the 58-foot F/V VIS and a 20-foot skiff in Wrangell Narrows, Alaska.

The collision claimed the life of a 73-year-old woman from California, as confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard, and resulted in another individual being thrown into the water.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, good Samaritans pulled a 71-year old, later identified as Gordon Paul of California, from the water. He was transported to a nearby boat launch at Papke’s Landing and taken to Petersburg Medical Center.

Published on: April 2, 2024

Fisherman Found Dead Inside F/V Westerly

by Nigel Stacey

On Thursday March 28^th, 2024, a fisherman lost his life in a fishing boat accident off Point Reyes, California. The incident was reported at approximately 4:30 p.m. prompting a response from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Unit, known as Henry-1. The vessel involved was identified as the F/V WESTERLY, a Dungeness crab fishing boat that crashed onto the rocks near Chimney Rock. Reports indicated that the boat was lodged on the rocks, battered by waves that forced it onto its side. The damaged vessel began sinking.

A rescue swimmer from the U.S. Coast Guard was dispatched and found an individual aboard the vessel. According to the sheriff’s office, the swimmer was unable to access the cabin without breaching equipment. The Henry-1 team executed a rescue operation, bringing in breaching equipment and a paramedic from the Marin County Fire Department. The tactical flight officer and paramedic gained entry to the cabin and found a deceased individual later identified as Matthew Paul, a 49-year-old commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay. Mr. Paul’s remains were transported by air to the Marin County Coroner’s Office, where an inquiry into the cause of death is expected.

The first person to notice the vessel near the Marine Protected Area of Point Reyes was a ranger at the Point Reyes National Seashore. Upon discovering the vessel, the ranger quickly notified the relevant authorities, prompting a collaborative effort among several agencies.

Published on: August 22, 2023

F/V Northern Eagle Crew Member Pronounced Dead

by Joseph Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report that a crew member aboard the F/V NORTHERN EAGLE lost his life while working at sea last week. Authorities suspect the cause of death was exposure to an ammonia leak aboard the vessel.

According to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class John Highwater, a satellite call was made by the F/V NORTHERN EAGLE on Friday, August 18th at 4:30 a.m.

“One of their crew members was found unresponsive in one of their engineering spaces,” Highwater said. “They believe there was an ammonia leak somewhere in the vessel that caused the person to fall unconscious,” Highwater reported to a local news agency.

Published on: March 9, 2021

Port Angeles Man Dies in Diving Accident

by James Jacobsen

It is with great sadness that we report the death of a commercial diver who was working in the waters of Port Angeles. According to a statement issued by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Anthony Gockerell, 35, died after his air cable apparently became entangled.

Peninsula Communications received the call that a commercial diver working at the Dungeness West geoduck track was in distress. Crewmembers reported that Gockerell signaled to the crew that his surface-supplied air umbilical cord was “unable to clear”, which the crew interpreted to mean that his cord was entangled in debris.

It was reported that crewmembers and officers with the State Department of Natural Resources (who were supervising the geoduck harvest) struggled for approximately two minutes before freeing Mr. Gockerell, who was diving in about 70 feet of water.