Seven men were aboard F/V Scandies Rose, when it was struck by stormy weather off the coast of Sutwik Island (near Chignik) on New Year’s Eve 2019.
Coast Guard rescue teams pulled two survivors from the seawater within hours of the vessel sinking. Five crew members, however, were not found and are presumed to be dead. These included Gary Cobban Jr., the captain of the ship, and David Cobban Jr., his son, both from Kodiak.
Gary Cobban Jr. is Gerry Cobban Knagin’s sister. She stated that the family had sent a remote-operated vehicle to the seafloor in order to examine the wreckage over the years.
She said, “I have a whole footage of the boat at the bottom with the pots. The buoys popped out of the pots making it look like a kelp forest.”
It was a 130-foot crabbing vessel that was on its way from Kodiak to Bering Sea fishing grounds. The ship was loaded with 198 crab pots and it eventually sank.
Nearly three years later, the buoys and other parts of the ship are still being washed ashore. This brings closure for Knagin as well as some of the family members of those who were lost.
Knagin stated that her family was contacted by a Chignik fisherman earlier this month. He found two buoys, and a bait tow. He flew them to Kodiak.
Knagin said, “That was such a touching moment to know that the fisherman recognized them and then he didn’t have Facebook so he used another’s Facebook page to contact me.” “Then I met them in Kodiak, picked them up, and that was just like, thank-you. He is a true gentleman.
Knagin stated that they have received some of her brother’s personal belongings from Dutch Harbor and Kodiak storage yards over the years. However, finding something from the ship was a different story.
“It was like receiving a hug from my brother when I touched those buoys. Knagin said that it was an extremely emotional moment.
The National Transportation Safety Board released a report that concluded that the Scandies Rose was sinking due to inaccuracies in stacking instructions, especially in icing conditions. Based on its findings, the NTSB made several recommendations to agencies including the Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Last week, the Marine Safety Detachment of the Coast Guard walked the Kodiak docks to ensure that boats leaving for the upcoming Tanner crab fishery were properly loading their pots. Knagin stated that weather forecasting in the area where her brother lost his ship has improved. Education and outreach to fishermen have also improved. An upcoming Alaska Marine Safety Education Association course is scheduled in Kodiak and will focus on vessel stability as well as emergency procedures.
Knagin stated that she hopes to reunite the washed-up items of the sunken vessel with relatives of the men who were on the ship.
Her brother was color blind so the big buoys of the Scandies Rose were lime green to make it easy for him to find them at sea. They are black and have the letters “SR”, along with the ship’s Fish and Game numbers, 35318. You may also find smaller buoys that have the Fish and Game numbers on them.
She said, “Some of these are trailer buoys. Some of those red and some are white.”
She stated that anyone who discovers something they believe is from the ship’s can contact her via email or Facebook. gdknagin@gmail.com.
