Into the Hidden Depths: The Vanishing of James Carnegie and the Hotline Tragedy

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The Quiet Town Shadowed by Loss

Kenai, Alaska, a close-knit coastal community along the Kenai Peninsula, was shaken in early May 1987 by the disappearance of commercial fisherman James Alan Carnegie. What began as a routine fishing trip aboard the MFV Hotline quickly transformed into tragedy when the vessel failed to return from halibut season preparations near Nuka Bay. With minimal modern communication infrastructure and treacherous sea conditions, Kenai’s residents watched anxiously as search efforts escalated.

The Outward Voyage of the MFV Hotline

On or about May 5, 1987, the Hotline, a 42-foot seiner, departed Homer, Alaska, bound for the productive fishing grounds of Nuka Bay in anticipation of halibut season. Onboard were four crew members: owner-operator Rick Liston , deckhand Jim Fuller , James Carnegie , and Bert Logan . Their voyage into the rough Gulf currents, amid unpredictable weather patterns typical of early spring, would tragically be their last.

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