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sank in 85 feet of water... at the dock!

https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Boat-Explosion-in-Whittier-512405641.html

1 missing after boat explosion in Whittier, according to the Coast Guard

Whittier dock explosion photo courtesy Daniel Christianson
By Ellie Baty and Gilbert Cordova | Posted: Mon 5:31 AM, Jul 08, 2019 | Updated: Mon 12:42 PM, Jul 08, 2019

ANCHORAGE, (KTUU) - UPDATE 12:30 p.m.
Coast Guard crews are searching for one person missing after an explosion and the following fire at Delong Dock in Whittier.

The explosion reportedly happened 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.

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.

UPDATE 6:00 a.m.
The Coast Guard says 2 people are missing after a fishing vessel exploded on a commercial dock in Whittier.

Coast Guard spokesperson Manda Norcross says a propane tank exploded leading to a fire on the fishing vessel the Alganik.


According to Norcross, the Alganik did sink and there is a 100-yard safety zone around the area

Norcross did confirm the fire from the explosion is out.

More information is expected to be released in a press release later Monday.

Original Story
The Whittier Police Department confirmed a boat explosion happened overnight.

This is a developing story and we will post updates as we get them.

Copyright 2019 KTUU

what a calamity!

Looks like they are giving up the search for the missing fisherman... Stories running around of another boat pulling a fairly dangerous act off by grappling the burning boat and dragging it out until the towing line burned.Some cool pics at the link.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...228/whittier-boat-explosion#Post13959228

UPDATE: Coast Guard suspends search for man missing after Whittier explosion
By Ellie Baty and Gilbert Cordova | Posted: Mon 5:31 AM, Jul 08, 2019 | Updated: Mon 8:18 PM, Jul 08, 2019

ANCHORAGE, (KTUU) - UPDATE 8:14 p.m.
The Coast Guard has officially called off its search for a man who was missing after an explosion at the Whittier dock. The 49-year-old Cordova man was missing for 17 hours. His name hasn't been released, but his next of kin were notified.


Whittier dock explosion photo courtesy Daniel Christianson
“The Coast Guard committed all available resources in conducting this search effort," said Cmdr. Mark Kuperman, the 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.”

The Coast Guard searched 12 square miles of water with a helicopter and boat.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.
Coast Guard crews are searching for one person missing after an explosion and the following fire at Delong Dock in Whittier.

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U.S. Coast Guard Alaska
on Monday
Our crews continue to search for one person missing after an explosion and subsequent fire at Delong Dock in Whittier, Alaska, early this morning.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from U.S. 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, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders heard the phras...
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The explosion reportedly happened 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.

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.

UPDATE 6:00 a.m.
The Coast Guard says 2 people are missing after a fishing vessel exploded on a commercial dock in Whittier.

Coast Guard spokesperson Manda Norcross says a propane tank exploded leading to a fire on the fishing vessel the Alganik.

According to Norcross, the Alganik did sink and there is a 100-yard safety zone around the area

Norcross did confirm the fire from the explosion is out.


More information is expected to be released in a press release later Monday.

Original Story
The Whittier Police Department confirmed a boat explosion happened overnight.

This is a developing story and we will post updates as we get them.

Copyright 2019 KTUU

pretty bold move to drag a burning vessel away from the dock, might have saved a lot!

They are not attention whores about it, either...

Probably a good bit yet to be told about what happened there. In a ADN story updated a few minutes ago their saying there were reports of a leaking propane tank prior to the fire.

Looks like a fish pumping operation gone wrong. I see a couple of dewater boxes and a TransVac fish pump sitting there all burned up. They'd of been using those boom trucks that burned to swing TransVac hoses over to the boats.

I've been around a couple different major fires where boats were tied to docks, first call is to cut them loose and let them burn. Hat's off to the guys that managed to accomplish that...
Can't risk an entire operation over one boat burning..

Lot's of different reports out there...

Coast Guard spokesperson Manda Norcross: “A propane tank that had been leaking exploded aboard the F/V Alganik exploded causing the fire which spread to nearby buildings and vehicles.”

ADN.Com
The Alaganik was once a separate tug and barge, but the barge was later welded to the tug, Norcross said. That led to initial reports that the explosion began on a barge and spread to the salmon tender.

I'm thinking that 85ft of water might be somewhere out off the dock where the managed to tow the rig to before it sank.

Otherwise I'd hate to be the pile-buck that had to drive pilings for that dock!

You are correct; just off the dock but not by much. It falls off quickly. We often troll just adjacent to that dock, and it is nothing to be running the riggers at 60-80 feet within a stones throw ...

As others have suggested, there are plenty of inaccuracies in the articles. We spent the weekend in the sound and were headed into Whittier Monday morning when the search was going on. The safety corridor was 1000 feet, not 100 yards - and the CG was enthusiastically informing anyone who violated that ...

Sad, sad, deal.