In the autumn of 1994, 18-year-old Gordon John Young was aboard the F/V Fierce Competitor, a 105-foot crab fishing vessel. The boat embarked from Warrenton, Oregon, with its destination set for King Cove, Alaska. On October 26, 1994, while in the Gulf of Alaska, the vessel and its crew were reported missing. Traveling with Gordon were four other individuals: Keithly Young, Larry Jones, Vicki Rowe-Simonsen, and Robert Simonsen, who was the skipper of the boat. Most of the crew hailed from Warrenton, Oregon.
The Fierce Competitor was lost in the vast and unforgiving waters of the Gulf of Alaska. An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon signal was detected, leading search and rescue efforts to a specific area. A life raft from the vessel was spotted approximately 450 miles southeast of Kodiak, about 50 miles from where the EPIRB signal originated. However, severe weather conditions at the time made it impossible for rescuers to retrieve the life raft. Despite the sighting of the raft, there were no signs of any of the five crew members.
The disappearance of the F/V Fierce Competitor and its five crew members, including Gordon Young, remains a tragic maritime mystery. The group was en route from Warrenton, Oregon, to King Cove, Alaska, when they vanished. The last known contact with the vessel was on October 26, 1994, while they were in the Gulf of Alaska. Although a life raft was found, harsh weather conditions prevented its recovery, and no trace of the skipper, Robbie Simonsen his wife Vickie, Larry Jones Keith Young or Gordon Young was ever discovered. The case serves as a somber reminder of the perils faced at sea.
Last Seen: Oct 26, 1994
