Crew uninjured after fishing boat sinks near Prince of Wales Island

A purse seiner fishes for salmon in Southeast Alaska in 2010. (File photo by KFSK)
A purse seiner fishes for salmon in Southeast Alaska in 2010. The Doxa, a 56-foot commercial fishing boat registered for purse seining, sank in Kasaan Bay on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (File photo by KFSK)

A 56-foot commercial fishing boat sank Friday near Prince of Wales Island in southern Southeast.

The vessel Doxa went down in the vicinity of Skowl Island in Kasaan Bay, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. All five people on board survived, with no injuries reported.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Melissa McKenzie said watchstanders in the Juneau sector received a mayday call early Friday morning. She said the boat sank in 600 feet of water, but the crew was able to abandon ship.

“Before it sank, they were able to get into a small skiff, and they floated in the small skiff for a while,” she said. “Then a good Samaritan vessel came by and recovered all five individuals.”

McKenzie said the crew waited in the good Samaritan vessel until the Ketchikan Coast Guard station’s 45-foot boat arrived, which took the crew and skiff in tow back to Ketchikan.

The DOXA is owned by Ketchikan-based DOXA Fisheries and is registered for purse seine fishing.

The Coast Guard says it will investigate the cause of the sinking.

KRBD - Ketchikan

KRBD is our partner station in Ketchikan. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences.

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