On February 20, 2025, a distress signal pierced the winter quiet of the Alaskan waters, marking the last known sign of 56-year-old David Greg Klein and his fishing vessel. A commercial fisherman from Ketchikan, Klein was believed to be the sole occupant of his 43-foot geoduck clam dive boat, the Canis Majoris, when the United States Coast Guard received an Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon alarm. The signal originated from an area north of Thorne Bay on Prince of Wales Island, setting in motion a large-scale search and rescue operation in the challenging Alaskan seas.
The response to the EPIRB activation was swift and extensive. The Coast Guard deployed multiple assets, including the cutter John McCormick, a 45-foot fast response boat from Ketchikan, and a Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka. The Alaska Marine Highway System's ferry, the Hubbard, which was in the vicinity, also joined the effort, dispatching a speedboat and its crew to the location of the distress signal. Despite the comprehensive search that scoured the area, neither Klein nor the Canis Majoris were found. The search teams did, however, discover a life raft and some floating debris, grim reminders of the vessel's sudden disappearance.
After approximately 25 hours of intensive searching, the U.S. Coast Guard made the difficult decision to suspend the active search. Officials stated that the decision was based on a variety of factors, including the harsh environmental conditions and an assessment of survivability. The focus then shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery operation, leaving the fate of David Klein a painful mystery. The Alaska State Troopers issued a missing person alert for Klein, and authorities confirmed through contact with his next of kin and potential crew members that he was likely alone on the vessel. The disappearance of David Klein and the Canis Majoris serves as a somber illustration of the perils faced by those who make their living on the unpredictable Alaskan waters, leaving a community to grapple with the unanswered questions surrounding the loss of one of their own.
Last Seen: Feb 20, 2025
