crabbers missing at sea

Ankorage Daily News ^ | 1/17/2005 | Lisa Demer

[scannell]

No sign of crabbers missing at sea. Crewmen from the Big Valley fell into water with survival suits in hand. The Big Valley plies Geographic Harbor near Katmai in July. Captain Gary Edwards took the East Carolina University archaeology team there after they finished their research on the Kad'yak shipwreck. The U.S. Coast Guard searched the Bering Sea on Sunday for three missing crew members from the crab fishing vessel Big Valley and one from the Sultan, lost in two separate incidents Saturday. No sign of the crew members were found, but the search will resume today. The Big Valley, a 92-foot boat based in Kodiak, is believed to have sunk about 70 miles west of St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands. So far, three crew members have been recovered, but only one survived. All three were wearing survival suits. Three more from the Big Valley remain missing. The survivor, Cache Seel of Kodiak, was found floating alone in a life raft. Troopers flew him Sunday from a clinic on St. Paul back to Kodiak.Authorities were having difficulty identifying all the crew members and notifying relatives, DeSpain said. One crew member's family was in Belgium. A Louisville, Ky., television station reported that one missing crew member was named Aaron Marrs, a Louisville native. Edwards (the captain), 46, is believed to have been on the boat. "He was a well-known character here in Kodiak.

[scannell]

I know one of the boys on the Big Valley that is still missing. His boat went down in 25 foot waves, 40 MPH winds in the Bering Sea. He was last seen in the water without the protective suit on trying to get to a raft. It dosen't look good. He is a Christian and saved some Christian Girls in Nashville from home invasion and near rape. Pray for Aaron Marrs and his family. He was aboard to film a documentary. He has been missing in the frigid temperature for over 2 days.

[JesseJane]

How very sad. Prayers up!

[JRandomFreeper]

Prayers lifted for those lost at sea.

/john

[rodguy911]

In water like that with the water temp probably in the 30's it's near impossible to survive more than a few hours at most.

[investigateworld]

Prayers for this fine young man and his family.

[scannell]

Actually I suppose the temperature of the air is around zero with 40 mph to add to the windchill. Ice build up on the front of the boat caused it to tip. It has to be a horrible thing to go through.

[Cagey]

A memorial at the inlet near my home. God bless their souls.

[Clara Lou]

I'm so sorry-- sorry that he's apparently lost, and sorry he wasn't wise enough to have that suit on. You couldn't drag me on to a fishing boat up there. And if I were drug on to such a boat, I'd be in my survival suit before the boat cast off.

[durasell]

Yes.

[prion]

I believe I read once that crabbing boats like this had the highest mortality of any US profession. It takes some serious courage to do this job.

[investigateworld]

I think you were on a thread several days ago where I advised a young'n to stay away from crabbers. The guys that can do that are braver than me.

[ProudVet77]

Sadly it's closer to 10 minutes. 30 on the outside. Sadly we all react the wrong way. Most people think you should keep your body moving by paddling to keep warm. The correct proceedure is to, if you can, curl into a ball to save heat.

[headsonpikes]

Prayers up for those lost men.

[ken5050]

Correct..FYI.The Discovery Channel had a program about this recently..amazing what they go through...almost every day...makes the Andrea Gale look like a rowboat ride on a pond..they go frot he money..the payoffs can be HUGE..IMHO, the real hgeroes are the Coast Guard rescue crews, who make 10% of the salary, but they HAVE to go out after themm

[prion]

Couldn't agree more. If you are moved by stories of rescue and salvage, a fantastic book for a stormy night is Grey Seas Under. Looks like you can get it on Amazon for less than a buck.

[OldFriend]

Prayers for the missing men and their families.

[OldFriend]

Well aren't you special. I pray that no accident ever befalls you.

[Bahbah]

Heartbreaking. Prayers for his soul.

[Clara Lou]

Well aren't you special.
Bunny...pancake...

[newfrpr04]

discovery channel had a recent show on crabbers. Short lived job and extremly dangerous. Rough seas makes it easy for men to go over board. Our prayers are with their families.