In the spring of 1987, a then 37-year-old James Alan Carnegie, a commercial fisherman from Kenai, Alaska, embarked on what would be his final fishing trip. On approximately May 3rd, Carnegie and three other crew members, Rich Liston, Jim Fuller, and Bert Logan, set out from Homer, Alaska, aboard the 42-foot seiner, the 'Hotline'. Their destination was the fishing grounds near Nuka Bay, as they prepared for the upcoming halibut season. The journey into the turbulent waters of the Gulf of Alaska, known for its unpredictable and often severe weather in the early spring, marked the last time these men were seen alive.
Concerns grew in the close-knit Kenai community as the 'Hotline' failed to return as scheduled. In an era with less advanced communication technology, the silence from the vessel was deeply unsettling. Search efforts were launched, but the vast and unforgiving sea offered few clues. The vessel was reported to have sunk with all four crew members aboard. Tragically, about ten days after the 'Hotline' went missing, the bodies of two of the crewmen, skipper Rick Liston and deckhand Jim Fuller, were discovered on a beach on Afognak Island. This devastating discovery confirmed the loss of the vessel but left the families of James Carnegie and Bert Logan without closure, as they remained missing.
The disappearance of James Carnegie and Bert Logan remains an unresolved tragedy, a painful reminder of the perils faced by those who make their living on the sea. The official investigation, conducted by the Alaska State Troopers, was extensive but ultimately unable to locate the two missing fishermen. Over the years, the memory of the 'Hotline' and its crew has been kept alive by family, friends, and the wider Alaskan fishing community. James Carnegie is remembered at the Seafarer's Memorial in Homer, a tribute to those lost to the sea. The case stands as a somber testament to the dangers of the Alaskan waters and the profound and lasting impact such losses have on coastal communities.
Last Seen: May 3, 1987
