Coast Guard suspends search for person missing after Whittier fire, Alaska

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Charly Hengen (archive).

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 49-year-old Cordova man who went missing after an explosion at the Delong Dock in Whittier, Alaska, Monday.

“The Coast Guard committed all available resources in conducting this search effort," said Cmdr. Mark Kuperman, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage deputy commander and the search-and-rescue mission coordinator for the search. "Our thoughts are with the family and friends who were impacted by this tragedy.”

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur and volunteers aboard Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat 336 conducted the search across approximately 12 square miles over the course of 17 hours.

The Coast Guard has conducted a next of kin notification and Coast Guard personnel have assumed lead in the National Safety Transportation Board investigation into the cause of the explosion.

-USCG-

Coast Guard, locals and good Samaritans search for 1 person missing after explosion, fire in Whittier, Alaska

A fire burns at Delong Dock after an explosion on fixed barge in Whittier, Alaska, July 8, 2019. In addition to Coast Guard crews, response efforts included members of the Whittier Fire Department, Whittier Police Department, Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Fire Department and Girdwood Fire Department. Photo courtesy of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage.

MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Kodiak, U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Bradley Pigage (archive).

JUNEAU, Alaska — Coast Guard crews are searching for one person missing after an explosion and subsequent fire at Delong Dock in Whittier, Alaska, Monday.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, forward deployed to Cordova, searched by air while crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur and Coast Guard Auxiliary 336 continue to search for the missing person.

Shortly after midnight, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders heard the phrase "Whittier fire, Whittier fire" over VHF Channel 16 and contacted Whittier dispatchers, who confirmed there was a fire at Delong Dock. Several minutes later, an Alaska Railroad security officer also reported the situation.

The explosion reportedly occurred on a fixed barge, and the fire spread to the pier and then to the Anagalik, a 99-foot commercial fishing vessel that was initially reported to have two people aboard at the time of the explosion. Whittier Police Department personnel have since confirmed one of those two is safely aboard a different vessel en route to Whittier.

Sector watchstanders issued a Safety Marine Information Broadcast that established a 100 yard safety zone to keep vessels a safe distance from the fire while the crew of the Chandeleur launched in response to help maintain the safety zone and conduct a search.

By 2:50 a.m., Whittier Fire Department personnel confirmed the fire extinguished.

The fishing vessel and barge sank in 85 feet of water at the pier with a potential maximum of 5,500 gallons of fuel oil aboard. The fishing vessel owners have contracted Global Diving and Salvage for clean-up and salvage efforts.

Brian Hicks, Whittier Fire Department chief and the on-scene commander, confirmed personnel from Whittier Fire Department, Whittier Police Department, Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel Fire Department and Girdwood Fire Department all involved in the response, including crews aboard Tender 41 and Tender 42 from Girdwood.

-USCG-

Coast Guard searching for unconfirmed persons in the water east of Whittier, Alaska

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Charly Hengen (archive).

ANCHORAGE, Alaska​ — The Coast Guard is searching Monday for unconfirmed persons in the water after a small boat with nobody aboard was found adrift east of Whittier.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Anchorage are trying to track down the owner of a 10-foot, blue and gray Zodiak that was found adrift in Passage Canal containing cat food, presumably for shrimp bait, along with other fishing gear, line and oars.

The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak, a response boat crew from Station Valdez and an Auxiliary crew out of Whittier to search for potential persons in the water associated with the boat.

No distress has been reported to the Coast Guard.

"We're responding as though there is a person or people in the water who fell out of this boat and need our help," said Mike McNeil, command duty officer at Sector Anchorage. "Anyone with information about this boat, please contact the Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center immediately at 907-428-4100."

The boat does not have a motor and there are no identifying numbers on the hull.

It was first reported to the Coast Guard at approximately 7:30 a.m.

​

-USCG-