At about 0610 local time on February 11, 2017, while transiting from Dutch Harbor to St. Paul Island, Alaska, to deliver bait and to fish for crab, the fishing vessel Destination capsized 2.6 miles northwest of St. George Island, Alaska, and sank several minutes later.[1] No mayday call was received. However, a signal from the vessel’s emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alerted the US Coast Guard to the sinking. During search and rescue efforts, debris and an oil sheen were sighted, but none of the six crewmembers aboard were found and are thereby presumed to be dead. The value of the vessel was estimated at $2.5 million.
- Unless otherwise noted, all miles in this report are nautical miles (1.15 statute miles); speeds are speed over ground; and courses are course over ground.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the fishing vessel Destination was the captain’s decision to proceed during heavy freezing spray conditions without ensuring the vessel had a margin of stability to withstand an accumulation of ice or without taking sufficient mitigating action to avoid or limit the effects of icing.
