On June 29 at 4:20pm, the US Coast Guard received a report of a man overboard from the F/V Sandman in the vicinity of Egegik Bay, about 40 miles southwest of Naknek. The Coast Guard searched the area with Alaska State Troopers for several hours by boat and helicopter. They say that the search was suspended at 11:36pm, pending the development of new information.
As of July 3, he has still not been located, but authorities have identified the overboard crewmember as Seth Whiteman of Eagle River, age 23. Next of kin have been notified. A Coast Guard spokesperson said weather on scene was approximately 17 mph winds, gusting to 28 mph, with 5-foot seas and 7 miles of visibility. The Coast Guard said he was reportedly not wearing a life jacket.
A fisherman who heard the initial radio callout told KDLG that the man overboard was described as wearing a blue jacket.
Many people expressed concerns on Facebook on Monday evening. The Coast Guard reports that the cause of the incident is under investigation at this time. We are working to learn more details about this tragic accident.
This story was originally aired on Tuesday, June 30. The story was updated on Friday, July 3 to include the man’s name.
