Unknown 07-13-09
56-year-old man drowns in Bristol Bay
Anchorage Daily News, Published: July 13th, 2009
A 56-year-old man drowned in Bristol Bay this morning, the Coast Guard said.
He was fishing in an 18-foot skiff with his two teenage daughters when he went overboard
while pulling in a net, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Sara Francis.
The Coast Guard has not released his name yet.
The accident happened in Togiak Bay around 9 a.m. and a nearby fisherman immediately
called for Coast Guard help. The skiff was only 10 to 20 yards from shore but the
man was not wearing a life jacket.
A good Samaritan boat picked up the two girls from the skiff. They were reportedly
fine.
Nearby fishing vessels looked for the man while the Coast Guard flew the three hours
to the location. By the time Coast Guard arrived, 15 good Samaritan vessels had
been looking for the man.
A good Samaritan boat found the man's body on a nearby shore, Francis said.
"We don't know what happened," Francis said. "We don't know if he became entangled
in the net, or it was the shock of the water, or if he swallowed a lot of water,
there are lots of possibilities."