Board studies whether icy conditions, heavy pots led to boat sinking

Aug. 28, 2017 Updated Mon., Aug. 28, 2017 at 4:33 p.m.

This 3-D image from NOAA Ship Fairweather's multi-beam sonar shows the profile of the fishing vessel Destination clearly visible in approximately 250 feet of water, including the bulbous bow to the right, forward house, mast, the deck crane aft and rudder. The Destination and its six crew members were lost Feb. 11, 2017, while fishing for snow crab northwest of St. George, Alaska. (AP)

Add Spokesman-Review on Google

Associated Press

SEATTLE – Investigators are weighing icy conditions and heavy crab pots as they probe what caused a Seattle-based crab boat with six people aboard to sink in the Bering Sea.

The U.S. Coast Guard Marine board heard testimony from more than 30 people this month in Seattle as it determines a probable cause of the Feb. 11 sinking.

The Seattle Times says it will eventually develop a report including recommendations to reduce the risks of such accidents.

The vessel Destination went missing off a remote Alaska island. Searchers found the signal device and buoys in a debris field, but no signs of its six crew members.

The board is considering freezing spray and whether the boat carried crab pots that exceeded weights used in stability and loading calculations.

An attorney representing the vessel’s owner, Mike Barcott, said the vessel was not overloaded and complied with a stability booklet used to guide vessel loading under winter conditions.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

Board studies whether icy conditions, heavy pots led to boat sinking

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

Abducted 4-year-old Kennewick girl found safe; father on the run

Waste and water line installation brings utility to Seven Mile communities

Following Trump's primetime address, WA Secretary of State says state has 'proven track record' of secure elections