USCG Says Back-Draft Doomed Vessel (loss of the vessel Galaxy in Alaskan waters)

Associated Press ^ | June 10, 2005

[robowombat]

USCG Says Back-Draft Doomed Vessel Associated Press June 10, 2005

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A back-draft explosion during a fire doomed a 180-foot fishing vessel before it sank in 2002 in the Bering Sea, the Coast Guard has concluded.

Three men died in the incident on the Galaxy fishing boat. Two days later, a fourth was swept off a Good Samaritan vessel as it searched for survivors in the icy waters.

The Galaxy was carrying a crew of 25 and an observer from the National Marine Fisheries Service when a fire broke out in the engine room.

The cause of the orginal fire is not known, but it probably started in a generator, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Chris Woodley said Wednesday.

The Coast Guard said the explosion was caused moments later when crew members opened hatches before a fire-suppression system had been activated. That allowed oxygen to flow to the engine room and triggered the explosion, Woodley said.

[rodguy911]

We know better than to fish inhospitable waters here in the Keys. They don't get it in Alaska.

[BadAndy]

Video from helicopters shows 3 large explosions on the Galaxy well after the ship was given up for lost.

[cripplecreek]

Have you seen the show about crabbing on the Bering sea on the Discovery channel? Definitely one of the most dangerous jobs there is but the payoff can be huge. On one recent show the deckhands made $10,000 each and the captain made $20,000 in a 3 day run.

[rabidralph]

Wow. What a mess. Have you all been watch The Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel? It chronicles the crab seasons on several of these fishing boats. http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/deadliestcatch/deadliestcatch.html

[cripplecreek]

I'm not sure but I think the Galaxy was the one covered on the show.

[Glenn]

>>They don't get it in Alaska.

they have real men in alaska. faries in the keys would never understand.

[Xenophobic Alien]

I spent a year on Adak,is. that is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. Imagine hell, only colder.

[myself6]

We tivo this show.

The last show pissed me off though. It seems that the feds have put an end to competitive fishing up there.


What a joke. Another part of the old American spirit killed off by our smothering government.

[cripplecreek]

I have a friend who's the adventurous type. He's fished for King crab for a few seasons, put out oil well fires in Kuwait, and rode out a hurricane on an oil rig in the gulf of Mexico. He says he'll take a hurricane over the crabbing any day.

[Glenn]

>>He says he'll take a hurricane over the crabbing any day.

bright guy. having spent the winter solstice on the arctic, i know first hand how brutal nature can be.

[rodguy911]

Dream on, ever caught a 150 lb. tarpon after fighting it for several hours.

I see you enjoy picking up the tab for the Coast Guard to rescue these dollar hunting bozos who use the Coast Guard for back up. Let em hire resuce boats like we do here in the Keys.

[Glenn]

>>like we do here in the Keys.

that's a sure fired catch phrase for "we're really timid!"

[cripplecreek]

I'm pretty sure those "dollar hunting bozos" pay taxes and support fanilies. If we want to shut down dangerous jobs let's start with firefighting, policework and soldiering.

[Glenn]

>>Speak for yourself fagboy.

how quaint.

[rodguy911]

I don't know, somehow I don't equate police work and firemen with crab fishermen, seems like totally different occupations to me.

[Rebelbase]

ping.

[rabidralph]

I thought the name sounded familiar but I wasn't sure. They covered a lot of ships on the two different crabbing seasons.

[cripplecreek]

The show will be on again and I'll check it out.