On the frigid morning of February 11, 2017, the fishing vessel Destination vanished into the Bering Sea, approximately 4.4 nautical miles northwest of St. George Island, Alaska. Among the six crew members aboard was 55-year-old Lawrence 'Larry' O'Grady. He, along with Captain Jeff Hathaway, Charles Jones, Kai Hamik, Darrik Seibold, and Raymond Vincler, was lost when the 98-foot crabber sank without issuing a mayday call.
The first indication of trouble was an alert from the vessel's emergency position-indicating radio beacon which triggered a search and rescue operation. Responders discovered a debris field and an oil sheen, but tragically, none of the crew members were ever found.
The loss of the Destination and her crew prompted a comprehensive investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. Investigators interviewed nearly 50 people and meticulously reviewed weather data and the vessel's history to understand the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. The wreckage of the Destination was eventually located in July 2017, resting on the seafloor in about 250 feet of water. Subsequent investigation using a remotely operated vehicle provided visual confirmation and further insight into the vessel's final moments. The incident was the deadliest in the Bering Sea crab fleet in over a decade and served as a somber reminder of the perils of the profession.
Investigations by the NTSB and the Coast Guard concluded that a combination of factors likely led to the vessel's capsizing. A primary cause was the captain's decision to proceed into heavy freezing spray conditions, which led to a massive accumulation of ice, estimated to be as much as 340,000 pounds. This added weight, combined with the load of crab pots that were heavier than what the vessel's stability instructions accounted for, critically compromised the Destination's stability. The crew was reportedly fatigued from a grueling cod season, and an open hatch may have allowed for rapid flooding, giving the men little to no time to react as the boat quickly succumbed to the sea. The tragic event underscored the immense pressures of commercial fishing and prompted a renewed focus on safety protocols and stability checks within the fleet.Last Seen: Feb 11, 2017
