Tag Archives: Unalaska/Dutch Harbor
Updated: Crew member on Alaska factory trawler dies after possible ammonia exposure
A crew member on an American Seafoods factory trawler died at sea last week, likely from an ammonia leak on board. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class John Highwater said that they received a satellite call from the Northern Eagle at about 4 a.m. on Aug. 18. “One of their crew members was found unresponsive in one of their engineering spaces,” Highwater said. “They believe there was an ammonia leak somewhere in the vessel that caused the person to fall unconscious.” Jeremy Baum, the Alaska Wildlife Trooper stationed in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, identified the crew member as First Engineer David Kumah from Ghana in West Africa. >click to read< 13:09
Coronavirus Quarantine Period Shapes Unique Season For Deadliest Catch Fishermen
Today marks the opener for the 2020 red king crab fishing season. The beginning of the king crab season is always a busy time in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor,,, Despite the influx of fishermen and television crews, this season was a little quieter than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic and local mitigation protocol that required most fishermen to quarantine for two weeks. Blake Smithmeyer, the greenhorn on the Summer Bay,, Smithmeyer said he was working as a chef at a restaurant in Tacoma, Washington, before his friend, Landon Cheney, the engineer on the Summer Bay, received the call that ended up bringing Smithmeyer to Dutch Harbor. >click to read< 07:52
Seattle Entrepreneur and Unalaska Businessman to Start Flight Co-op Between Unalaska and Anchorage
The community of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor has been without reliable air service since a fatal plane crash on the island late last year. Now, two people are promoting a new idea that they say could help address the community’s persistent travel problems: a flight co-op to protect people flying between Anchorage and Unalaska. Their goal is to sign up 5,000 corporate clients and individuals before launching, Chaffetz said. With that many people, he said airlines that fly between Unalaska and Anchorage would be forced to listen. “By creating a membership, kind of like a Costco,,, >click to read< 17:27
Seattle seafood company reports 6 more crew have Coronavirus in Dutch Harbor
The cases are onboard the American Triumph, which is operated by Seattle-based American Seafoods. Last month, the company announced that more than 100 crew members on three of the company’s six vessels had tested positive for the virus. At the time, experts questioned the company’s decision to mandate a five-day quarantine period, rather than the 14 days recommended by many health officials. American Seafoods subsequently said it had extended its quarantine period to two weeks. The cases announced Friday bring the total tally of positive cases on American Seafoods vessels to 117 since late May, according to spokesperson Suzanne Lagoni. >click to read< 10:18
National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Law Enforcement returns to Unalaska/Dutch Harbor
A federal fisheries agency office is reopening in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, as soon as three enforcement officers are hired and trained, according to Kevin Heck, acting deputy special agent in charge, in Anchorage. In recent years, the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Law Enforcement has been flying in agents from around the state for short tours of temporary duty lasting between a week and a month, Heck said Monday Read the rest here 07:57
Unalaska hires Anchorage marketing firm to shed ‘Deadliest Catch’ image
In a move to offset what is seen by some as a negative public image created by the reality television show “Deadliest Catch,” and to encourage oil company workers to make permanent homes locally, the Unalaska City Council is giving money to an Anchorage advertising firm to promote a wholesome image. The city government wants the outside world to know there’s more to life in Unalaska than getting drunk. The 10-year-old Discovery Channel show depicts life on Bering Sea commercial crab boats based in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. Read the rest here 10:55
