In the vast and often unforgiving waters of Alaska, the story of Bert Raymond Logan's disappearance is one of maritime tragedy and enduring mystery. On May 3, 1987, 25-year-old Bert Logan, a male resident of Kenai, Alaska, was aboard the 42-foot commercial fishing vessel, the 'Hotline'. The seiner, with a crew of four, was in the vicinity of Nuka Bay, preparing for the upcoming halibut season when it vanished. The vessel, owned and operated by Rick Liston of Anchorage, was lost to the turbulent Gulf of Alaska, sparking a search and a story of loss that would leave families waiting for answers for decades. Logan was described as being 5'9' and weighing approximately 155 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He had several distinctive tattoos, including a bulldog on his chest and Yosemite Sam on one of his arms.
The circumstances surrounding the sinking of the 'Hotline' point to a sudden and catastrophic event at sea. The vessel and its four crew members-Rick Liston, Jim Fuller, James Carnegie, and Bert Logan-disappeared without a mayday call. The unforgiving nature of the Alaskan waters was made evident when, about ten days later, the bodies of the skipper, Rick Liston, and fellow crewman, Jim Fuller, were discovered washed ashore on Afognak Island. This grim discovery confirmed the sinking of the 'Hotline' but offered no solace or closure for the families of Bert Logan and James Carnegie, who remained missing. The men were possibly wearing orange survival suits, yet despite this, only two of the four crew members were recovered.
The case of Bert Logan is intrinsically linked to that of James Carnegie, as both men were lost to the sea in the same incident. The official investigation by the Alaska State Troopers documented the loss of the vessel and its crew, but without the recovery of the two missing men, many questions remain unanswered. The incident is a stark reminder of the perils faced by those who make their living on the unpredictable waters of the Gulf of Alaska. The disappearance of Bert Logan and James Carnegie is a somber tale of lives cut short and the enduring pain of families left without definitive answers, a narrative etched into the maritime history of Alaska.
Last Seen: May 3, 1987
