Fishing Boat Sinks Near Sitka (Alaska)

The 80 foot long fishing vessel Eyak ran aground and sank off Calligan Island near Sitka, Alaska.

The incident happened on Monday, approximately 13 miles south of Sitka Harbor. The Coast Guard Sector Juneau personnel responded to a distress call from a crewmember aboard the Eyak stating they had run aground by Calligan Island and were taking on water.

Alaska State Trooper and Sitka Search and Rescue crews arrived on scene and assisted with dewatering of the vessel.

The 4 crew on board the Eyak were safely rescued by the AST and Sitka Search and Rescue crews.

According to reports the boat flipped and sank shortly afterwards, and only a small portion remained above water. There were no injuries reported.

The local authorities will monitor the sunken vessel for signs of pollution until the owner can salvage the vessel.

“We will assess the sinking to mitigate any pollution impact or hazards to navigation,” said Lt. Stacey Tate, command duty officer, Sector Juneau. “Protecting Alaska’s pristine maritime environment is a priority to all of us who work and live here.”

The vessel was reported to have approximately 500 gallons of fuel onboard when it sank.